


Another Heart Calls

by Erectopatronum



Series: Another Heart Calls Series [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult Hermione Granger, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Eventual Hermione Granger/Severus Snape, F/M, Jewish Hermione Granger, M/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Ron Weasley Bashing, Severus Snape Lives, ron weasley is a cheater, ron weasley/lavender brown - Freeform, snamione
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-24 21:03:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20365039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erectopatronum/pseuds/Erectopatronum
Summary: Hermione Granger is a recent University graduate and the girlfriend to Ron Weasley. However, she's not entirely pleased with her life. She wants a job in her field, and when a chance to have just that falls into her lap, she doesn't hesitate to take it. However, in taking the job, she finds that she not only finds a love of potions, but love for something else.Posted on Fanfiction.net





	1. A promising job

**Author's Note:**

> This story was born by the need to fulfill my need for Snamione fanfiction and partly due to a one shot that currently lives on my hard drive. I have yet to find a fanfiction that is as long as my need for Snamione and when I find one as long as I like my fanfictions to be, it is never the story I want it to be. I was going to post it, but I decided that making a series would be much more fun. I love Snamione more than any other ship in the Harry Potter universe and if anyone knows any really good fanfictions that fit that ship, please send me links. I have started a community for them and I would like to give them all a place to live. I am looking for friendship fics, romance fics (But only ones where Hermione is of age), time travel fics, either where Hermione goes back in time or ones where Severus goes forward in time. 
> 
> On another note, I am currently unsure what direction Miles Apart is going to go into. I haven’t decided on how I’m going to block out the story. I’m currently torn between making it a series as well and having each of Brooke’s years be a story or just having one very long story. Also, I’m not sure if I’ll have an ‘after the war’ story, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I also don’t know if Alexis is going to go into hiding during the catastrophe of year seven or if she’s going to be at Hogwarts with the Carrows. As I’m sure we all can guess, I’m 95% sure Brooke is going to be joining Harry, Ron and Hermione on the hunt for horcruxes. Let me know what you all think. 
> 
> I also really want to thank everyone who reviews and follows my stories. I am not paid to write my stories and some days I don’t write at all because of lack of initiative. Your support and want for more chapters keeps me going and keeps me motivated to write and to create new stories. I wouldn’t have any stories if there was no interest for them, so thank you all so much. It truly warms my heart.
> 
> Love, 
> 
> Erectopatronum

The sun shined down on the stones of Diagon Alley, warming them and the people who passed through the streets. The shop keepers were keeping their shelves full to the brim, and patrons were walking in and out, bags stuffed full with different wares. Now that the war was over, and the Death Eater trials were through, the streets were once again a safe place to move about freely. And everyone was taking advantage of the good weather. 

Hermione Granger was no acceptation.

After she returned to Hogwarts the year after the war and completed her education, the brightest witch of her age immediately started applying to mastery programs and universities for wizards, ready to move on with her life. Then, after several letters of acceptation, Hermione ran into none other than Ronald Weasley, who now had stepped into his late brother Fred’s shoes in the joke shop. With the pressures of war no longer looming over them, the pair fell easily into a relationship. Hermione often thought their relationship was as easy as slipping on a pair of gloves, and she loved to comfort it gave her. 

Ron had his own flat, and Hermione had her’s, but more often than not, Ron was over Hermione’s, spending time with her in between her classes and during his lunch breaks at the shop. Nearly a year into her year and a half mastery program, they started sleeping together, a feat that made Hermione giggle, still nearly two years later. Even though Ron teased her relentlessly about picking potions and transfiguration as her masteries of choice, she didn’t let that stop her from doing what she loved. She was good at both, and had graduated the top of her class three months before. Now all she needed was to find a job in her field. Yes, she worked for the ministry in the Magical creatures department, making laws that protected house elves and werewolves, but that was just a job that paid the bills. 

But today, she was looking for new potions books to add to her collection. Her small, delicate hands moved over the spines of the books, the tips of her fingers barely touching the bindings. She practically itched to fill her arms with all the books in the store, but unfortunately she didn’t have enough space in her small apartment. One day, she vowed, years ago, she would have a home, a proper home with a library in it to house the tremendous amount of books she already owned, and the ones she would purchase in the future. 

But first, she needed to get the dream job before she got the dream home. She rounded the bookshelves and passed the corkboard where small business owners and those who were conducting research posted wanted ads. She liked to check every now and again, but there was rarely anything on potions, and if there was, there was only an unpaid internship. Most of the internships clashed with her actual paying job, and while she would love to drop everything and just learn from a master. But she loved having a roof over her head and eating a little more. 

Nevertheless, she moved to view the colored papers with little interest. It was the plain white paper that stood out to her however, among the bright neon on the board. The ad was for a potions assistantship for some little company called Prince Potions. Hermione had never heard of the company, but the promise of payment drew her in. She took a copy of the ad and went to the counter with her purchases, ready to go home and try to find a place to fit them all. 

*H*G*

Hermione was busy trying to push the 16 book in place, and didn’t hear her floo activate. Which resulted in her shriek when hands clamped around her waist, spinning her around to face whoever entered her home, wand clamped in her hand. 

“Ronald!” Hermione smacked his chest with the tome in her hand. “Don’t do that!” 

Ron didn’t even look sorry for scaring his girlfriend. “I thought you had heard me, ‘Mione. After all, you’re normally not in the living room at this time a day.” He tightened his hold and kissed her forehead. “Can you ever forgive me?” 

Hermione pulled out of his grasp and returned to her shelving. “I suppose if your apology comes with dinner and help with these books.” She waved her wand and expanded the shelves around her, making it easier for the books to slide into place.

“How about tonight? Just you and me, maybe we can go to that little Italian place we like so much.” Ron leaned against the shelves, watching her tuck title after title away. He handed her the last few books, crumpling up the bags when he was done. 

“I’d love that.” She finished her shelving and then returned to her boyfriend’s embrace. “I found an ad for an assistantship.” 

“That’s fantastic! Are you going to apply?” Ron moved her to the sofa, pulling her into his chest. 

“Of course,” She tucked her head under his chin. “I’d be a fool not to. I need to find a job in my field. I mean, I like the ministry, but it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to work in a lab, making potions and selling them. I hope that I get the job.” 

“Well, whoever owns this company has to hire you. You were top of your class, after all.” Ron rubbed his hand up and down her arm. He didn’t regret not going to school after the war was over, but he found that working for his brother George was comfortable and they worked well together. Granted, he had wanted to play for the Chudley Cannons but his sister had gotten to play for the Hollyhead Harpies and he decided that one Weasley sibling playing internationally was enough for his mother. After Fred’s death, Molly liked everyone to stay as close to home, and nearly panicked when Ginny left for Scotland to start her training. But his sister came home as often as she could and was always there for Christmas and birthdays, which made his mother less worried. 

“I think I’m going to fire off a copy of my resume right now. Maybe if I get it in now, I’ll be first pick for the job.” Hermione pulled herself from Ron and went to her kitchen table, pulling parchment and her resume from the folder she kept it all in. 

“Like I said, you’re going to get the job. Whoever runs this company is a fool not to hire you.” Ron went to the range and set the kettle to boil. 

“I’m not assuming that I’ll get the job, Ron. They might hire me and change their mind because of my ministry schedule. I can only work from 3:30 on and then weekends all day.” Hermione scribbled on the parchment, writing her cover letter to the owner. Folding up the papers and tucking the ad into the envelope like the ad said to do, she gave the envelope to the owl she purchased during University, praying to whatever god was listening that she got the job. 

*H*G*

Hermione sat at her desk in the Ministry, drumming her fingers on the desktop. Before her was a decree from Kingsley preventing werewolves from being denied jobs. Appropriately named the Lupin Law, she was reading it over to make sure there were no loopholes for employers to discriminate. As she reached for her quill to sign, her assistant came over to her with a stack of mail. 

“Hermione?” She poked her head in the office. 

“Yes, Jillian?” Hermione continued her previous motion and signed the law. 

“I have your mail.” She handed her the large stack, making Hermione frown. Most of her mail for the past few years was letters of gratitude for her services in the war, which she didn’t feel she deserved. She simply did what was expected of her, and protecting and helping Harry was one of those things. Flipping through the letters, she stopped at an emerald green envelope, with Prince Potions in the return address. It had been nearly two weeks since she applied for the position and she was nervous as the days had gone by without hearing anything. Ripping it open, there was a thick letter tucked neatly inside. 

Dear Miss Granger, 

I have to say, I was most surprised when I received your application. To be honest, I had hoped I would never hear from you or your friends for the rest of my days. To add to my shock, after reading your resume, there was no record of your personal achievements, but only those of your academic career. I would have expected you to at least include your Order of Merlin, First Class. In addition, I was expecting a few pages for your resume, but seven pages of academic achievement is nothing to sneeze at. (I would cherish the complement because I don’t give them often.) 

However, it was the addition of valedictorian to your resume that caught my eye. In fact, it was the only reason I wrote to you in the first place. I also saw that you went to the same University as I did and had the same professors. Therefore I took the liberty of contacting them and asking them of your academic performances. Rest assured, you got rave reviews. Regardless of my feelings toward you, you at least have a good sense of potions mastery, at that is one of the most important things I’m looking for in this job. Now, bear in mind, I am not handing you this job, for I am not one who will fawn over the brains of the golden trio. 

I will, however, grant you an interview. Come today, at 5 o’clock sharp. Do not be late. If you can prove yourself, you may get the job.

My address is 33 Spinner’s End, Cokeworth. 

Sincerely, 

Severus Snape 

She read the letter over and over, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she applied to Severus Snape’s potion company. She had no clue it was him at the time, but now it made sense. His mother’s maiden name was Prince and he wasn’t teaching currently. Minerva had given him time off to settle down and recover from Nagini’s attack. Hermione and Madame Pomphrey had worked day and night to save him, trying everything they could think of. Thankfully, after Dumbledore died, Fawkes had turned his alliance to Minerva, and became her familiar, meaning that they could try phoenix tears and not just bezoars. They had managed to stabilize him, but if Augustus Pye hadn’t been called and helped the two women, the dour man would have died. 

Then Hermione, Harry and Ron built his defense in court with the help of Minerva and Flitwick. They all testified on Severs’ behalf, saving him from a life sentence in Azkaban. After Severus had been cleared of all charges, he vanished from the Wizarding world, or so Hermione thought. But she had been granted an interview. She thought about telling Ron, but decided to keep it quiet, in case she was denied the spot. It would also protect Snape and where he had disappeared to. 

Regardless of who the employer was, Hermione really wanted this job. Snape was one of the best potions masters in the wizarding world, therefore it would be quite the feather in Hermione’s cap to add assistant to Severus Snape to her resume. The ad had simply said paid job, so Hermione wondered how much she would be making, and hoped that it would be enough to start saving to move out of her apartment and into an actual home. 

Ron could move in and they could marry. She wondered why he hadn’t proposed to her yet, but she wasn’t going to press him. She didn’t want to scare him away. They both were trying to save up money after all, and a wedding would drain their savings. She assumed that’s why he hadn’t said anything. They had been together nearly three years and she was happy with him, which she was shocked at. 

When they were at Hogwarts together, Hermione had thought him to be self-centered and uncaring, but he had matured and made her feel so loved. Her success was his success and vice versa. Granted Hermione went farther in work because she didn’t co own a shop but she respected what her boyfriend did, and he loved it so much. He was always coming over and crowing about some new product he invented, and she always loved to hear his work stories. 

She sighed and pushed back her chair. She was nervous about seeing Severus Snape after four years. She hadn’t been prepared for him to speak to her old professors but she couldn’t be shocked. After learning they were alumni of the same university, it would make sense for him to reach out. She just hoped she made a good impression. 

*H*G*

Hermione pulled her hair into a loose ponytail and smoothed down her skirt. She dressed in the clothes she normally wore in her labs at school, to show that she knew how to dress for work. Sensible flat shoes were on her feet, a long colorful maxi skirt to cover her legs but still remain cool. And a black fitted tee shirt completed her outfit. She stood before the stairs of the Spinner’s End home, trying to calm herself. 

She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs, knocking on the door with her knuckles. After a tense moment, the door opened as far as a chain would allow and a sliver of man was seen. The door shut and then opened quickly. Hermione was greeted with the man she had worked night and day to defend and heal, and she thought she would be able to see him as an equal, but seeing him here, she was nearly reduced to her first year self. 

“Miss Granger, punctual as usual.” Severus stepped back. “Come in then and let’s this over with.” His tone was dry and bored, as though he dreaded seeing her. 

“Thank you sir,” She slipped past him and into his sitting room, gasping at the shelves of books around her. 

“You can gawk later, I think,” Severus moved to the armchair before the fireplace after he shut the door. “Have a seat.” He snapped his fingers and a tea tray appeared on the coffee table, tea pouring into the bone china. 

She tore her eyes away and settled on the plush seat, smiling her thanks and sipping the dark liquid. 

“There is cream and sugar.” He gestured to the tray. 

“I know, but I prefer black.” Hermione settled back onto the couch and cradled the cup. Suddenly a midnight black feline jumped onto her lap, shocking her and making her jump. 

“Hello, where did you come from?” Hermione moved her tea to her left hand and stroked the cat with her right. 

“Dover, get down,” Severus snapped his fingers at the cat. In return, the cat flicked his tail and curled up on her lap. 

“It’s alright, sir. I have a cat of my own.” Hermione carefully placed the tea on the table and used both hands to scratch the sides of Dover’s face. “Why is…. His? Name Dover?” 

“The cat is male, yes. And I found him as a stray when I was at a conference near the White Cliffs of Dover. It seemed fitting. He’s prone to using his claws to hold you down so he can bathe you, so for that I am sorry. I haven’t been able to break that habit.” He took a sip of his own tea, watching the feline. “Feel free to push him off if he’s bothering you.” 

Hermione smiled and watched the cat snuggle into her stomach. “Crookshanks is the same way. I have more scars from my cat than from the war, I think. It’ll be fine.” She looked up at him and noted he was watching her closely. “Is everything okay?” 

“Every person who’s come to be interviewed for this position has been hissed at and hated. Though, for some reason, Dover likes you of all people.” He cleared his throat. “Well, why don’t we get started?” He put his reading glasses on and picked up a quill and parchment. “Why do you want to work for me?” 

Hermione chuckled. “When I applied, I had no idea that the company was owned by you. I applied because every other position is an unpaid internship, and takes up full days. I have a job already, but it’s not in my field and I need to keep it or replace it with something to pay my bills.” 

Severus jotted down something in his notes. “And you work for the ministry, correct?” 

“Yes, sir I do.” Hermione winced as the cat in her lap dug his claws into her leg. 

“What are the hours?” Severus looked up at her hiss. 

“9am to 3:30 pm. I have Friday through Sunday completely free.” Hermione carefully dislodged the claws from her skirt. 

“And the pay?” 

“200 gallons a month.” Hermione resumed petting the cat, in order to keep him content and his claws out of her leg. 

“Hmmm,” Severus wrote that down and rubbed the feather end of the quill against his lower lip. “So you were valedictorian, graduated with highest honors and you returned to Hogwarts to complete your education. But, what is lacking is anything about your personal achievements. How am I to know that you can balance your work life, social life, and other hobbies if all you included was academic achievements?” 

“Well,” She took her tea again and sipped the hot liquid. “I was in a book club, which I’m sure is not surprising. I was in the theater club, which is much more surprising, I think. I regularly went out with friends, I tried to learn the drums, but that didn’t go well. I quit after six months. I tutored students in potions and transfiguration, which was the job I had while in school.” She scratched the cat behind the ears, hoping she had impressed her ex professor. 

“Well, I think I have enough.” Severus checked to make sure the ink was dry and folded the paper in half. 

“So?” Hermione drained her cup and allowed the cat to kneed her leg. 

“So?” 

“Do I have the job?” Hermione decided she was going to be forward and make sure he knew what she wanted. 

“Honestly, Miss Granger, I really don’t wish to work with you. You annoyed me when I was your professor and the very fact that you had to save me from Nagini’s bite and then proceeded to keep me out of Azkaban, which is somewhere I should be right now, I don’t like being indebted to someone.” 

“How many people have you interviewed, sir?” Hermione gave him a cool look. 

“I don’t understand why that matters.” Severus leaned back in his chair. 

“How many people have you interviewed?” Hermione repeated, waiting for him to answer. 

“Around 30, why?” 

“How many of them have my credentials?” Hermione shifted in her seat, maintaining eye contact. 

He sighed, and removed his reading glasses. “None, Miss Granger. And before you ask, none of them have graduated yet either.” 

“Well, then it seems to me that even though you do not like me, and you don’t wish to work with me, I am your best bet. I have graduated top of my class, I know how you like to have things organized in a lab, and I actually qualify for an assistantship.” Hermione waited for him to react. 

He frowned and unfolded the paper before him. Reading it over, he closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. “Fine, you have the job. Do not make me regret this, Granger. Be here tomorrow, 4pm, not a minute later.” 

“Yes sir. May I ask about salary?” She ran her fingers through the cat’s fur before her. 

“I assumed we would get there. I’ll match what you make at the Ministry. You’ll be here 4-9 pm Monday through Thursday and 9-8pm Friday through Sunday. For the first month, don’t even think about asking for time off. Consider yourself on probation. If I don’t like how you work for the first month, there will be no second chances.” Severus removed his reading glasses and tucked the parchment away, giving her a look. “You’re free to take your leave.” 

Hermione tried to push the feline to the floor, but Dover gave her a glare and refused to move. Hermione laughed when Severus tisked and she pulled the cat to her chest, standing up. Placing the cat on the floor, she moved to the bookshelves that lined the room, Dover following her as she walked, hoping she would sit again. 

“Miss Granger, what are you doing?” Severus waved his wand and vanished the tea tray to the kitchen. 

“You said that I could look at the books later.” Hermione’s fingers ghosted the spines, her eyes full of light. 

Severus observed her silently. He had never seen anyone so taken with books before, but he knew how much she liked to read from their time together as teacher and student. At least her essays reflected that she knew how to research. His eyes raked her clothing as she stretched up to pluck a tome from the shelf. Her shoes were sensible, and wouldn’t render her useless. They were close toed, which was better than the other girls who applied. They often wore short skirts and heels, clearly never worked in a potions lab a day in their lives. Her skirt was long which covered her legs, but she wouldn’t be too over heated in the lab. She knew what she was doing, he had to give her that. Not that he would ever tell her that. 

Hermione was oblivious to his stares. She was more taken by the book in her hand about traditional and modern potion brewing methods. She hadn’t asked if she could read his books, but when she was given the opportunity to read, she never took it for granted. She resumed her place on the couch, and Dover leapt back into her lap, the book laying open on the cushion next to her. 

“I wasn’t aware you were staying.” Severus commented dryly, arms crossed. 

“I’m sorry for being so forward, sir. I’ll just-“ 

Severus cut her off. “I assumed you would want to leave as soon as possible. The books will still be here tomorrow.” Severus plucked the book from her hands and laid it down on the side table. 

Hermione nodded and carefully moved the cat off her lap once more. “Sorry Dover. I’ll be back tomorrow.” She said her goodbyes to Snape and thanked him for the job before leaving the house and apparating away to her apartment. 

*H*G*

Hermione sat at her kitchen table carefully writing a note to Ginny and Harry, who now lived together in Grimmauld Place. She wanted them to come out to dinner with her and Ron, to celebrate her receiving the job. Ron had agreed to sacrifice his night alone with Hermione to make her happy. Once she was done with the letter, she cast it through the floo network and waited anxiously for their response. Her hands shook slightly, wanting the message to turn out to be positive, as she was sure that her friends’ response to her being employed by Severus Snape was not going to be as cheerful as she would like. While she and her friends did in fact save his life and keep him from Azkaban prison, Harry and Ron still did not like him. 

After 20 long agonizing minutes, Ginny’s slightly charred note plopped onto Hermione’s threadbare hearth rug. She ran over to it and ripped it open, nearly tearing the parchment inside in her excitement. 

Hermione, 

Of course we’ll join you and Ron tonight, do you even have to ask? We’ll see you around 7:30, yeah?”

Love, 

Ginny 

Hermione looked at the clock that rested on her mantle, with the time reading 6:45. She looked down at her clothing and noted the black hairs that Dover had thoughtfully left on her skirt, and she used her wand to whisk them away. When she had come back into her apartment, Crookshanks had batted at her skirt and meowed in protest, disliking the other cat’s smell on his mistress’ clothes. 

While she wanted to take a shower, she had no time, and settled for washing her face and putting on her usual eye makeup. Crookshanks followed her into her bedroom and settled on her vanity, batting her eyeliner cap around on the table, clearly set on keeping her home longer than she wanted to be. 

“Crooks, please. Knock it off.” Hermione took the cap away and slipped it over her eyeliner once more. “I know you’re upset over the other cat hairs but Snape has a cat too. I’m going to have hairs on me that aren’t yours now.” 

Crookshanks stared at her with his bright yellow eyes, clearly not happy. The half kneazle was very particular about who he liked or disliked. He merely tolerated Ron and didn’t attack him when he came to visit, but he didn’t allow the red head to touch him. She briefly wondered if Crookshanks would allow Snape to touch him but she shook the thought away. The only way for that to happen would be if Snape came to her house and hell would freeze over before that happened. 

She pulled her hair down from the ponytail it had been tied in and pulled it into a bun on the top of her head, a few curls hanging down, framing her face. Gathering her clutch, Hermione prepared to take her leave, excited to see her friends. 

When she got to the restaurant, she joined her friends at the table they had procured. “Hey!” She smiled brightly and plopped down in the seat that was empty for her. She took the glass of wine that Ginny had offered her, taking a grateful sip. 

“So, you had the interview today? How did it go?” Harry took a sip of his fire whiskey. 

“I got the job!” Hermione nearly spilled her wine when Ron threw his arms around her. “Ronald, stop that!” She laughed. 

“I knew you would, ‘Mione!” Ron nearly shouted. “So who runs the company, anyways?” 

“Well, you’re not going to believe it, but Snape does.” Hermione took another sip. 

“Snape? Blimey, Hermione. You’re working for Snape?” Harry coughed, nearly choking on his drink. Ginny thumped him on back, shaking her head at him. 

“I’m sure Hermione will be fine, guys. How much are you making? Ron said it was paid.” Ginny asked. “Hopefully it’s enough to save for your own house.” 

“He’s matching my ministry salary.” Hermione couldn’t stop smiling at her friends. 

“So you’ll be making 400 gallons a month?” Ginny gasped. “Why didn’t I apply for this job? Hermione, you might be the richest women in the order, if you’re putting away 200 gallons a month.” 

“I know. It’s a real start for a house. With my war stipend, and this job, I could get a house in about a year and a half.” 

“How much was your stipend?” Ginny took a long swallow of wine. 

“About 700 galleons. I got more because I helped Madame Pomphrey with the injured.” Hermione shrugged. “It’s currently collecting dust in my vault.” 

She had gotten 300 more galleons than the others, but it was the effort she had put in with the healers to save as many as possible. Lavender Brown would have been dead if Hermione hadn’t gone back for her after the battle was over. Healer Pyre and Hermione had managed to heal her from the fall and the attack from Greyback, and she had only had minor scarring on her stomach left over. St. Mungos had thrown in the extra money, to give her their thanks. She hadn’t asked for more money, or any money for that matter, but everyone had gotten something. Even Severus Snape. 

Hermione figured he had used his money to start his business, but she could always be wrong. 

*H*G*

Hermione lightly skipped up the steps to Snape’s home, knocking on the door just as she had the day before. After a few moments, the door opened and Hermione had to bend quickly to catch the cat before he escaped. Gathering Dover in her arms, Hermione gave her new employer a smile as she walked passed. 

Severus shut the door, shaking his head. “He bolted for the door as soon as you knocked. I’ve never seen him more attached to anyone before.” When he turned, he saw Hermione looking at the shelves again, the cat sitting on her shoulder, like a deranged parrot. 

“You are aware that I have actual work for you to do and that I’m not paying you to read my books.” Snape gathered his files from the table next to his armchair and made to leave the living room. Hermione turned to face him, reaching up to steady the cat. 

“Yes, I know. I was actually trying to figure out how you charmed your shelves to stretch this far. Mine are maxed out I’m afraid.” Hermione started to follow him out of the room and down the hall. 

“I’m sure that’s what you were doing.” Severus started to open the door at the end of hall, then paused. “Dover isn’t allowed in the lab.” He raised an eyebrow at the cat who lightly jumped to the floor, padding over to the cracked door to Hermione’s left. “That’s my study.” Severus said, answering her questioning gaze. “He has a bed in there. Now, let’s get started.” 

Hermione followed Severus down into the basement of his home, feeling the magic press against her skin. “Protective enchantments, I assume?” 

“Yes. I can’t be too careful. This is a muggle neighborhood after all.” Severus pulled out his wand, waving the stick to start cauldrons marching to their burners. 

“What happened to ‘there will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations?’” Hermione sat on a stool, watching him spread out the documents before each cauldron. 

“Don’t be cheeky.” Severus ground out, flicking his wand again, ingredients laying themselves out on the table. 

“If you can do all this with magic, why do you need an assistant?” Hermione swiveled on her stool. She didn’t want to shoot a gift horse in the mouth, but it made no sense watching him set up. 

“I’m well behind in my work.” He pointed to the files on the desk in the corner. “Those are from about six months ago.” 

Hermione stood and started to leaf through the folders. “So what do you want me to get started on?” 

Severus laughed. “You,” he pointed to the desk. “Can put those in order of importance. I will be brewing these.” 

“And when I’m finished?” Hermione sat down and opened the first folder. 

“We’ll see when you finish. That’s six months’ worth of potions.”

Hermione made a face at his bent head and started to read the files, sorting them into piles starting from the potions that were ordered the farthest back. Those for St. Mungos’ went first, then the ones that stocked Apothecaries, and then those ordered by private citizens. As she flipped through the pages, Hermione could tell that the dour man had made quite the business for himself. Most of the orders fetched 300 galleons or more. She wouldn’t be surprised if he never went back to teaching with the money he was raking in with these potions. 

“You’re the one providing St Mungos’ with wolfsbane?” Hermione’s eyebrows raised as she read the parchment. 

“Yes, I am.” Severus plucked the parchment from her fingers. “I actually need to fill this order today in fact.” 

“I can help.” Hermione perked up. “I made that all the time in school.” 

“If you finish sorting the orders, Miss Granger.” Severus turned back to the cauldrons and his ingredient prepping. 

“But sir, how is this helpful?” Hermione put a few more in the ‘Urgent’ pile. 

“I don’t have the time to go through all the files, sort them and brew the potions. Currently, I am not taking any more orders until I fill the rest of these.” He used a sharp razor to shave a unicorn horn, thin slices falling into neat piles. “Therefore, it is easier to hire someone to help me sort my orders, then fill them with me.”

They worked quietly for a few hours. Hermione had finished the last folder as 9 o’clock rolled around.

“Sir, I finished the folders.” She brought him the pile of Urgent potions. “These are the ones that need to be filled as soon as possible.” 

Severus leafed through the orders and cut the pile in half, handing her one of the piles. “You can handle these, I assume. Be here tomorrow, 9 am. We’ll see how many of these we can get through.” 

*H*G*

Hermione flooed to her apartment, kicking her shoes in the direction of her bedroom. Crookshanks wound around her ankles, crying out to her in his need for love and food. “Hey Crooks. I know, you usually eat dinner at 5, I’m sorry.” 

She led him into the kitchen where he jumped onto the counter. Hermione pulled open the cabinet where she kept his food, and dumped it onto a dish. She placed it on the floor by the water dish, laughing when he jumped down eagerly to eat. 

“What should I make for my dinner, Crooks?” Hermione pulled open her refrigerator and gazed at the contents. “I need to go shopping. Maybe I’ll go before work on Monday.” Hermione shook her head and pulled out a pack of chicken. 

With a wave of her wand, Hermione had chicken and carrots chopping themselves while she made pie crusts. Placing the dough in a muffin tin, she put the chicken and carrots into the dough, along with peas and gravy, using the rest of the dough to cover her homemade pot pies. She put them in the oven and poured herself a glass of white wine, allowing her familiar to jump onto the table and curl up next to her. 

“I’m not looking forward to these late nights, buddy.” Hermione scratched him behind the ears, enjoying her wine slowly. “Maybe Severus will let me bring you to his house so I can feed you on time. Or maybe I can take a short break and come back. I don’t know, but I’ll try to figure something out. Or we might have to get used to late suppers.” 

When the timer went off, Hermione stood and took the pan out of the oven, plating her meal and carrying it to the table. With a wave of her wand, the dishes started to wash themselves, and a smaller plate flew out of cabinet and landed before her cat. 

“I know you like chicken, Crooks.” She waited for the meat to cool before giving her cat the treat, rubbing the top of his head when he gobbled up the chicken. “I hope you’ll forgive me for being late?” 

Her cat responded by trying to steal more of her meal. Hermione laughed and placed her cat on the floor of her kitchen, shooing him from the room. 

“Let me eat in peace, please.” Hermione then picked up her fork and ate, savoring the first thing she had eaten since noon. Usually her Thursdays were ended with dinner with Ron or Ginny, but for this month, she would have to hope that they were alright with late suppers or not seeing her for a few weeks. Hermione wasn’t horribly mad, however. Working for Severus Snape was a dream come true. It was the crown jewel of her resume, and her old professors back at University were singing praises for her, excited that one of their students got the job. Apparently, they had been sending people over to the dour man’s home and there had been no luck until Hermione. 

Though, the late nights were going to be the death of her. She usually was done supper around 6, and read a book until 8, when she went to bed. She knew she was what most would call, an old soul. Ron often complained about her habits, but she didn’t care too much about it. She ignored his comments and she brushed off her university friends’ laughter about her habits as well. She had never had much of a social life, and she didn’t really care. It was only at University when she branched out, and even then, she wasn’t too adventurous. The theater club was as adventurous as she got, and she loved the performances they did, but she wouldn’t make a career out of it like some of her friends’ did.

When she was done and all the dishes were washed up, she padded to her bedroom to shower and change. She hoped that the next day at Prince Potions was going to be more action packed than it had been today. She didn’t want to be paid to sort paperwork. While Harry and Ron would love to make the salary she did for the minimal work she had put out today, Hermione was unable to do such a thing. Her goal was to ascend and make something of herself and the world around her. Being Snape’s glorified secretary wasn’t what she had in mind for her assistantship. 

The next morning, Hermione was up bright and early, ready to start the day with zeal. Dressing herself in her usual lab clothes, she strode to the kitchen, intent on tea and feeding her cat before he started to squawk. With the use of her wand, her breakfast and that of her familiar were made in short order. Hermione glanced at the clock and noted she had a little more than an hour before having to be at Snape’s home so she savored her morning and the time she had to herself. Ron and she had dinner plans after Hermione got out, and she was grateful that he was willing to meet so late in the night. Though to everyone else, it seemed that dinner at 9 on a weekend was average. 

Crookshanks finished his meal and jumped onto his mistress’ lap, intent on depositing as much hair on her clothing as possible. He still hated the new animal that had left foreign fur two days in a row. Hermione could only laugh, and she had teased Crookshanks about the need to claim her as his to an animal he would never meet. 

“Alright Crooks, I’ll be back later,” She pushed him to the floor after kissing the top of his head. She twisted her heel in a practiced way and reappeared on Snape’s front door step, knocking just as she had for the past two days. When the door creaked open, she was already prepared to catch the cat, hoisting the animal to rest in her arms once more. 

“Goodness, does he do this to you when you come home?” Hermione dumped the cat on the sofa, addressing Severus who latched the door. 

“Yes, unfortunately. I would have a floo system, but when you want to remain undetected, you can’t exactly be open to visitors.” Severus moved to the kitchen, and Hermione was hesitant to follow. She didn’t know his morning routine just yet and didn’t want to bother him so early. So in an effort to remain quiet, she took up the book she had left on the table and allowed the cat to curl up on her legs. 

Severus had entered his kitchen and fully expected Hermione to follow him with a flood of questions, but she had stopped in the living room, and when Severus leaned against the door jam and observed her, his morning tea in his hands. She was lost in her reading material, oblivious to Severus watching her. She had matured considerably since he had last had prolonged contact with her when she was 16. She still had a ‘bossy’ attitude about her, but she knew what she was doing, he had to give her that. Her marks in University were remarkable, and he never gave any sort of compliment to anyone. 

He had been surprised when he got her application, but her resume was impressive. She had the brains and wit to be a great potions mistress, and all she needed was a place to prove herself. Severus hoped that eventually he could pass the orders off to her and he could continue his own research, which had to be put off until he could catch up with the orders he had. Since the end of the war, Severus had become something like a hermit, not seeing anyone or going out of his house more than he had to. Everything from his potions ingredients to his weekly groceries were ordered to his home, and he only left for the conferences he attended, which was how he found Dover. He had taken to the cat as the feline’s nature was quite like his own. Since then, he hadn’t seen anyone from his past, until these last three days. 

Never would he ever thought that Hermione Granger would be in his home, working for him, none the less. He hadn’t liked her when she came to Hogwarts when she was 11, and she was a know it all, worse than he had been. She had kept the trend until she left school and even now, she was trying to be a sponge for knowledge. Though there was something about her now that made him slightly curious. Just how much did she mellow out since Hogwarts? Why would she stoop to the Weasley Boy’s level and date someone far below her academic level? The last Severus had heard, the youngest Weasley boy had joined the remaining twin in his joke shop. It wasn’t exactly a job that required much skill. 

Severus returned to the table and to his paper. With the end of the war, the Daily Prophet had become a paper worth reading again. There was no more Azkaban breakout reports, or Voldemort controlled articles. Severus was considering getting his Dark Mark covered up by a Muggle artist, but he had no clue of what he should get etched on his arm forever. Perhaps, if the assistantship worked out, he could ask Miss Granger for advice. 

Severus shook his head. He had no interest in getting close to her. Though there was some part of him in the back of his mind that told the rational part of his brain that maybe trying to become friends with Hermione Granger wouldn’t be a horrible idea. She was smart and had cared enough about him to go back for him after the battle, making sure he didn’t die. Severus fingered the two scars on his neck as he thought of the attack. 

He sighed. Perhaps, he might actually take his mother’s advice and just let events take place and see what happens, instead of trying to have total control of everything.


	2. A friend returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Chapter for Another Heart Calls. I’m sorry there have been few updates, but my computer died and I had to buy another one, which was no fun. I was having problems transferring all my documents to the new one, but we figured it out and now, I can work on the stories I have out now. Thank you for being so patient, I love you all!

Hermione followed Snape into the lab after he had finished whatever he had been doing in the kitchen while she was reading. He was silent, walking ahead of her, his stance just as commanding as he had been while she was in school. But this time, he wasn’t the only expert, and she hoped that she would be given work today that was to her academic level and not the work of a glorified secretary. 

Once they reached the basement laboratory, Severus waved his wand and the cauldrons set up like they had the day before. Severus then turned to her and handed her the stack of parchments she had left in his lab so her cat wouldn’t tear them. 

“Miss Granger, I need you to start on these. You will be only handling the potions I make for private investors until I know what you can produce consistently. Then you may be moved to help me fill the orders for St. Mungos.” He pointed to the table across from him. “Crates are at the back, and once you’re done and everything is bottled, you are to package them and label them with the shipping labels in the box on the shelf above that.” 

“Yes sir.” Hermione took the papers and pulled out the first few pages. Setting up the cauldrons like Snape did, Hermione prepped the first round of ingredients for the five potions she was creating. She was aware of the eyes on her, but she ignored them, and continued her work. Her professors at University had taught her to prep before making her potions, and she could see where Snape had gotten into the habit. 

Once she had chopped everything and measured out her liquids, she danced between her cauldrons, stirring each one and lowering heat when appropriate. One at a time, the potions completed and with a gentle wave of her wand, the medications and tonics bottled themselves and the cauldrons were scrubbed clean. Snape came over as she made quick work of crating the bottles, and she stiffened, but didn’t stop. 

“Let me see.” Snape snapped his fingers and plucked the bottle from her hand. Hermione continued her work, ignoring the dour man as he swirled the liquid in the bottle, and then opened it to sniff the contents. When he was satisfied, he nodded, recorked the bottle and then passed it back to her. 

“Sir, with all due respect, I am a potions mistress and I know what I am doing.” Hermione finished her task, and with a wave of her wand, the crates were on the only empty table in the room, stacked neatly and ready to be shipped. Striding back to her table, Hermione started prepping her next round of potions. She was aware that his eyes never left her back, and she wondered hen he would finally trust her skills. With her luck, the man would never trust her completely, which frustrated her to no end. 

*H*G*

Hermione worked until the clock on his desk chimed 2 pm, at which time Severus stretched and bottled his own work, waving his wand for the bottles to box themselves up. “Miss Granger? I usually take a break at this time for lunch. You’re welcome to join me if you like.” 

Hermione barely looked up from her work, as she extinguished the last cauldron. “Let me bottle this up and I’ll be more than happy to.” Hermione had hoped that one day Snape would accept that she wanted to be his friend and to make him feel like he was wanted. In the months that followed Nagini’s attack, Hermione had barely left his side, and had stayed with him after the trial in Number 12 Grimmauld Place while he recovered enough to take care of himself.

Severus nodded and went up the stairs, leaving her in the basement lab to finish her work. Dover sat at the door, waiting for them to emerge, and with a soft meow, he wound himself in dizzying circles around Severus’ legs as they moved to the kitchen. He was confused as to why he invited her to eat with him. He didn’t like her, at least he thought he didn’t. They had only been working together for two days, and while he was relieved that he wasn’t victim to her prattle, he still was on edge around her. He knew that he didn’t have to like her, but it did have to be cordial to her. 

He entered his kitchen and Dover jumped from the floor to his shoulders with ease. This was their routine. Severus worked until 2-2:30, Dover would wait until he returned from the depths of the basement and while Severus cooked lunch or dinner, Dover was on his shoulder like a demented parrot. Ever since he had smuggled the cat home, the pair had been inseparable. 

“What do you think, Dover?” He addressed the cat. “Should we have fish and chips today?” Severus moved to the pantry where he kept the potatoes and took out a few large ones. “I hope Miss Granger eats fish.” 

“Miss Granger does eat fish.” Hermione walked into the room and leaned against the counter. “Would you like some help?” 

“If you would like.” Severus handed her the potatoes, and reached up to steady the cat. He scratched him behind the ears as Severus moved to the refrigerator to take out the fish. Once he opened the wrappings that the fish was in, Severus took Dover off of his shoulder and put him on the window sill in the sun. Once his cat was situated, Severus set to work on the batter, coating the fish and frying them in a pan. 

“You don’t deep fry them?” Hermione sliced the potatoes into fries and dumped them into a bowl as she worked. 

“I never have. It’s less mess this way too.” His gaze never left the stove. 

Hermione finished her slicing and brought him the bowl, placing it on the counter. He nodded his thanks, and continued cooking. Hermione walked to the window and absentmindedly stroked the slumbering cat, looking out at his backyard that boasted a garden that took up most of the space. There was a small corner that held a bench in the middle of carefully placed flowers and in between two trees a hammock was strung. 

“I never would have pictured you as much of an outdoors type, sir.” She said in a manner that was recognizant of Luna Lovegood. 

“My mother insisted I have a place to read during the summer months that wasn’t my sitting room.” Severus snorted. “I hardly have time to relax, if you can imagine.” 

“I understand, sir. I am the same way. With this job and the Ministry, I hardly have time for anything else.” She pulled the sun warmed cat into her arms. “It’s unfair in a way.” 

“Indeed.” Severus continued cooking while Hermione walked closer to the backdoor. “Miss Granger, if you are intending on going out to my backyard, I insist that Dover stay inside. He isn’t exactly an outdoor cat.” 

“Of course.” She placed the cat down on the window sill once more, and slipped out to the backyard, leaving the door open, but making sure to shut the screen door. 

Severus continued cooking for a few more minutes, but once he started work on the potatoes, Severus walked to the window that Dover had abandoned, favoring to sit on the floor by the open door. He watched Hermione wander around his garden, her fingers brushing lightly over the leaves and flowers. In the time that it took for him to check the food, Severus saw that she had taken up residence on his hammock, with a book that he hadn’t noticed that she had. 

Severus waved his wand and the cooking resumed without him, and he wandered out to the garden where she was and leaned against the tree beside her. 

“Am I to assume that this is where you are going to be residing during your time with me?” Severus gestured to her with her shoes off and her reclined position. 

“Sir, with all due respect, I never have any time to relax outside. I’m either at home, trying to right my apartment or I am at work. Sometimes, I have time to go out with friends, but that is not often.” 

“Then why did you take this job?” Severus was perplexed. If she had no spare time, why would she be taking on more responsibility? 

“I need the experience.” She simply said, flipping the page of her book. Severus nodded, though he was confused. A young woman like her shouldn’t be trapped in his basement brewing potions and tonics for 9 to 10 hours a day. She should be out with her friends and having a life other than this. 

“Won’t you miss having a social life?” Severus looked at her with a frown. 

“I never really had one to begin with, to be honest. Ron, Harry and Ginny go out without me most weekends because I’m working on things for work. Sometimes, Ginny comes over to have dinner with me and Ron does the same, but they knew that taking this job meant late nights and early mornings for a while.” She turned a page in her book. “If they can’t handle it, then I guess it’s their loss.” 

*S*S* 

Severus was confused. His apprentice was still in his home, an hour and a half over the time that she was scheduled to work. He assumed that she would have bolted from the house as soon as she was freed, but here she was, seated on the one swiveling chair in his lab, twirling back and forth, her hair flowing behind her as she spun. 

“Miss Granger, don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Severus looked at her over his glasses as he filled out the reminder of the slips he included in all of his deliveries. With her help for the past day or so, they had filled out more orders than he had been able to fill in months, and she had proved herself to be a very handy person in the lab. Not that he would ever tell her that to her face. 

“No, Ron cancelled on me. Said that I take too long here and he wants to actually eat at a normal dinner time. I told him that he has to suck it up for the next few weeks, but he has been a little nasty about it.” Hermione smiled sadly. “I just hope he comes around.” 

Severus nodded. “Well, if you plan on being here, why don’t you fill out the slips for the potions you made, or take the slips that I have already filled out and put them in the crates? Then, seal the crates and put them in the cupboard over there.” 

“How do they get delivered?” Hermione slid off the chair and picked up the completed slips. 

“The cupboard is charmed to send the crates to my customers. It’s all with a simple spell I created. And, its free, I don’t have to pay for the morning owls.” Severus slid his glasses back down his nose. 

“Can you show me?” Hermione slapped a hand over her mouth. Part of her contract was about not annoying him with idle chatter and he had made it very clear that he would be unyielding with his standards. “Sorry, sir.” 

“What are you sorry for?” Severus looked at her with mild interest. “Miss Granger, I was you teacher for 6 years. I can tell the difference between a know it all and someone who actually wants to learn someone else’s knowledge. I cannot fault you for wanting to learn. However, whatever I show you here of my own inventions I must demand that you keep to yourself. I escaped the wizarding world for a reason.” 

He stood and walked over to where she was sealing crates. “I understand how this is strange. How I acted in my years at Hogwarts are not my true personality. How I am here, in a place where I can do what I love, without the eyes of Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall on me, without the eyes of Death Eater children and the Dark Lord himself, I can actually have my true personality present.” He slipped parchment into crates with speed and grace. “I am still very personal and I don’t like to share my thoughts and emotions. Just because I am sharing this with you now, does not mean that we will be ‘braiding each other’s hair’ or any other soul bearing activities, but I will not fault you for wanting to learn and to better yourself. We are equals here. You are a potions mistress now, not a school girl. It’s time to stop acting like this.” 

“Acting like what, sir?” 

“Like you’re still afraid of me.” 

Severus turned and flicked his wand, the sealed crates floating up and seating themselves into the cupboard. 

“Sir, I am not afraid of you. We all saw the memories, we know what you did…” Hermione continued her slip deposit. 

“Yes, the memories. I was wondering when you would bring those up.” Severus ran a hand through his hair. “Those were to prove to Mr. Potter that I was not the monster that you all thought I was. It was also to share with him his fate that Dumbledore neglected to tell him.” He turned back to her. “I never thought he would submit them as evidence in my trial.” 

“But it kept you from Azkaban!” Hermione exclaimed. She couldn’t believe how he was acting. It was almost like he though he didn’t deserve the redemption that he had. 

“And how many other Death Eaters are there in my place?” Snape put his glasses on his nose to prepare the next day’s orders. “I have murdered and tortured and done just about everything that they have done. I am no better than them.” 

Hermione stood, mouth agape, staring at the man who calmly sorted papers into piles. 

“Miss Granger, I advise you to close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.” Severus looked at her over his glasses. 

“I just don’t understand, sir.” 

“Well, it’s not for you to understand, now is it?” he stood up. “I am the way I am. I don’t feel like I should be a free man, but that cannot be helped now, can it?” He handed her the folder of potions for the next day. 

“It’s late. Go home and get some rest.” 

*S*S* 

Tuesday morning, Hermione sat at her desk in the ministry, twirling a quill in her fingers. The tentative relationship Severus and she had was strained a little more than normal. Severus clearly didn’t want to hear about his heroism, and only saw himself as the villain. 

Hermione didn’t know how to turn his mind around, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to save him. Harry, Ron and herself had already done that and he clearly wanted nothing to do with them in that way. She figured that she would need to apologize for the dredging of old facts, hopefully in a way that would clear the air. 

“Hermione?” 

She turned and found her friend from University, Britney Mitchel, standing in her cubicle door. 

“Oh, what are you doing here? What happened to the internship?” Hermione jumped up and hugged her friend. 

“I came back from Iceland. I’m done with my internship and I’m back here to stay. I needed a new job, and I found one in the misuse of potions office.” 

“You’re right down the hall from me!” Hermione held onto her friend’s hands. 

“Do you want to get lunch?” Britney asked, already pulling Hermione to the door.

“Let me get my purse and then we can go. There’s a great little Italian restaurant down the street.” Hermione slipped out of her heels and put on her walking flats and got her purse. 

The two women left together, arm in arm. Both poked their head into their supervisor’s office to inform them that they were going to lunch. 

“Oh, Brit, I have so much to tell you!” Hermione led her down the street to the red brick restaurant where Hermione frequently ate lunch. 

Once they were seated and ordered their meals, Britney grabbed Hermione’s hands again. “Alright, tell me everything. How’s Ron, how’s work?” 

Hermione laughed and accepted the wine from the waiter. “Ron’s great. We’re talking about moving in together in the next couple months. He’s still working with his brother and the Aurors.” She took a sip. “I also got a new job. It pays the same as my Ministry job so I’ll be able to buy a house soon.” 

“Hermione, that’s great!” Britney was always happy for her friend’s successes. When they were in school together, Hermione had beaten Britney for the valedictorian spot and Britney was salutatorian. It never phased her though. Hermione’s success was her success. When internships came up, Hermione had given up the Iceland internship for her friend. Britney had managed to land the internship with one of the world’s most famous potions master’s, Þórarinn Guðnason. 

“So tell me about Iceland. How was it?” Hermione moved her arms so the waiter could place the pasta dish in front of her. 

“Oh Hermione, it was soooooo great! Þórarinn Guðnason is a genius! We were working on a skin care potion that helps heal burn victims and Master Guðnason put my name on the patent so I’m making money from the work. He and I decided to stay in contact to help each other.” 

“I’m so happy for you! That’s fabulous!” Hermione took a bite of her pasta. 

“So where are you working? Other than the Ministry, of course.” 

“Oh, I work for Prince Potions now.” 

“Prince Potions?” Britney gasped. “Master Guðnason works with the owner! He says that the owner is the best in Europe!” 

Hermione chewed on a breadstick, deep in thought. She had never thought of Snape as a genius or the best, but she knew that he was very smart. She was certainly lucky that she was able to work under his tutelage, and for pay. Hermione knew that there were people that she and Britney went to school with that had to get internships for no pay. One of the boys they knew still lived at home with his parents because he couldn’t afford to live on his own. 

“I had no idea that I worked with someone so smart,” Hermione twirled the pasta onto her fork. “Well, I knew he was smart, but not that he was the smartest in Europe.” 

“Maybe you should talk to him about it?” Britney smiled. “we always spoke so highly of his skills in Iceland.” 

“Maybe I will.” 

*S*S*

Later that night, Hermione walked into the basement lab of Prince Potions, dropping her bag onto the hook, she always left her stuff on. Snape was seated where he had been the night before, working on some form of paperwork. Hermione took the folder with the potions orders and placed it on her station table. 

“Professor?” Hermione went to the sink and quickly washed her hands. While she waited for him to acknowledge her, she put on the leather apron and went to her station with the folder. 

“Yes, Miss Granger?” He didn’t look up and continued to write on the paper. 

“I met with a friend of mine this afternoon, and she has just come back from an internship with Þórarinn Guðnason and apparently he says he knows you?” 

“Yes, I do know him. He and I have worked together on several projects in the past.” He left it at that. 

“He said that you were the best in Europe at potion making.” Hermione started to chop her rat tails for the hair growth potion she was working on. 

“I am.” The quill scratched on the parchment with no signs of stopping. 

“Why haven’t you said anything about being the best yet?” Hermione laid down her knife and scooped the tails into a bowl. 

“Because I didn’t see reason to.” Severus looked up at her finally, his eyes a little narrow over his glasses. “Why are you asking me all these questions, Miss Granger? If you and your little friend are planning something, I would strongly advise against it.” 

“What? Professor, we’re not planning anything.” Hermione was getting more and more angry with every passing moment. “Sir, we were catching up earlier and she mentioned her internship. That’s all. She and I were in school together and she was #2 in our class.” 

Severus took a deep breath and nodded stiffly. “Maybe, we can arrange for the two of them to come here and brew with us. The two of you could learn a thing or two.” 

Hermione smiled a little and nodded. 

“Return to your brewing. I have paperwork to do.” 

*S*S*   
Hermione rolled her shoulders back and rubbed a hand over her neck, trying and failing to relieve the ache. She had been brewing for three hours before Snape had had her help him move dozens of crates of ingredients into the storage closet. Unfortunately, the ingredients were magic sensitive and had to be moved by hand. Severus had been kind and paid her an additional 50 galleons for the work that she did under the table. He had said it wasn’t right for him to keep her for overtime and not pay her for it. 

Before she had come home, she had used some of that money to do her grocery shopping before the shops closed, and she even had a little time to swing into her favorite clothing store to buy more of the skirts she preferred to wear while she brewed. 

Now she had all the time in the world to relax and take a much-needed break before doing it all again the next day. She had just put away the clothes and the groceries when her floo activated and Ron stepped out onto her hearth rug, brushing off the soot on his threadbare robes.   
“Hello, love, what’s brought you here? I didn’t think we had plans?” Hermione had poked her head out of the kitchen to look at her boyfriend.

“No, we didn’t have plans. I’m sick of us not having plans, Hermione.” Ron sat on the couch heavily, waving away the tea Hermione brought him. 

“Ron, you know the crazy hours that I work now. You, Harry and Ginny all said that you were fine with going out later, or waiting till I could ask for time off after working there for six months. There’s nothing that I can do about this. I wish there was but I could lose this job and we need it.” Hermione went back to stir the pot that was bubbling away on the stove. 

“We need it? Hermione, this job doesn’t benefit me in the slightest!” Ron’s voice went up in volume. 

“How does it not? You were the one who keeps talking about buying a house together, but we can’t afford it on a ministry salary and with what you make with the joke shop. Furthermore, you were the one who told me to apply.” 

“Because I didn’t think he would have you working every fucking day, Hermione!” He ran his hands through his hair, clinging to the ends of it. “I thought I would be able to see you before bloody midnight.” 

“Ron, there’s nothing I can do! He pays me for the time that I work and I’m making good money! And I get to use my degree.” Hermione slammed her spoon down on the counter and glared at him. They really didn’t fight, but when they did, they could get loud. Hermione preferred the fights that they had as kids over the ones that they had as adults. As kids, Hermione was just a nag, but now as Ronald Weasley’s girlfriend, the fights they had were more geared toward her not taking care of his needs. 

“And that’s another thing! How do I know that you’re working for him just for the sake of working for him? You and Harry were so keen on getting him out of Azkaban. How do I know that there isn’t anything going on between the two of you? Maybe that’s why you like to work long hours. Because you and Severus fucking Snape are such good buddies.” 

“He’s my boss, Ron!” Hermione couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “And he’s 20 years my senior. And he hates the fact that Harry and I kept him from jail. There is nothing going on between him and I. How dare you imply that there was. I would never do that to you.” 

Ron just turned away. 

“Why do you think there is something going on between us, Ron?” 

“I don’t know Hermione. You just never liked working long hours before, we used to go out and do things. Now, I’m lucky if I see you once a week.” 

“I’m sorry. But I don’t know what you want me to do?” 

“I want to see you more. I think you should work shorter hours with Snape or less days.” He turned back around. 

“Ron, it’s a fixed schedule. He told me that I would be fired.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing then.” Ron crossed his arms and refused to break eye contact. 

“What? What are you talking about?” 

“Then I would get to see you outside of this apartment!” Ron stomped over to the floo. “I have to go.” And just like that, he was gone. 

Hermione stared at the dwindling flames for a minute or two before she fell to the floor, her body shaking with sobs, the pot on the stove forgotten.


	3. A Professional Appears

Hermione sank to the floor, her hand covered over her mouth as she sobbed. “It’s not worth it.. its not worth it…” she mumbled through her tears. She was so tired of Ron and his negativity. The first time they had fought was over a man dancing with her at a ministry event when they first started dating. She refused to speak to him for days. She had a sinking feeling that this was going to be the case again. 

Hermione was so distraught that she didn’t hear her floo activate once more, but she did notice when a cold hand grasped her elbow, causing her to jump and try to blink back her tears. 

“Professor?” She quickly dabbed her face with the edge of her skirt. “What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?” 

“You put your address on the forms I made you fill out. Now, up you get.” He helped her stand and then sit in one of her mismatched kitchen chairs, then he turned to the stove to turn off the burning meal she had forgotten. “What was all this about?” 

“Ron come by and we had a fight. He wants me to quit working for you.” 

Severus gestured toward the tea kettle, and when Hermione nodded, he flicked his wand, pouring two steaming cups of jasmine tea. “And what did you tell him?” 

He sat across from her and placed the chipped mug in front of her. If Hermione was in a better mood, she might have been shocked that Severus Snape was in her home, having tea with her, like an old friend. 

“I told him that it wasn’t an option. I don’t want to lose my job with you or at the ministry. He’s upset that he can basically pick his own hours and I can’t.” she sipped her tea and sighed. 

“I see.” Severus took a sip of his own brew. “I’m going to tell you something that my mother told me many years ago. Granted, she was speaking of friends at the time, but it still applies. If they cannot support you in all that you do, they are not worth your time.” 

Hermione smiled a little and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. 

“And if he makes you cry, is he really worth it?” 

Hermione stirred another spoonful of sugar into her tea. “I would say not. But he can be kind.” 

Severus smirked. “So was my father, until he wasn’t and beat my mother and myself.” 

“He what?” Hermione was aghast. She had heard of parents abusing their children, but she never thought she would meet a survivor. 

“Oh, I had assumed it came out in the trial.” He twisted the mug in his hands. “Yes, he was a monster, to me and my mother, but going to Hogwarts was a godsent. The abuse lightened for my mother at home when I wasn’t there, and when I was home for the summer, I stayed out of the house as much as possible. It just made things easier. My original point, was that it is not worth jumping through hoops for those who won’t return the favor.” 

Hermione reached across the table and lightly touched the back of his hand.

“It was not mentioned as a point of pity, Miss Granger,” He took another sip of his tea. 

“Yes… well, speaking of things not mentioned, not to be rude, but why are you here?” 

Severus cleared his throat. “Oh, that, you left your jacket on the chair in my living room, and I thought I would bring it back.” He looked a little embarrassed, as there was a little color high on his cheeks. 

“That was very thoughtful of you, Professor.” Hermione smiled and got up from the table. She stood by the stove and picked up the pot, examining the contents. “Well, this is useless. I have to restart dinner, would you like to stay?” 

Severus looked touched and then with a small smile, he nodded. “That’s very kind of you, Miss Granger.” 

“Please, call me Hermione. We’re co-workers now, its only fitting.” She tossed the pan into the stove and turned on the tap, preparing it to soak in hot water. “I know you don’t like me or my friends, but for what it’s worth, you weren’t a bad teacher. We all really learned a lot from you.” 

Severus leaned against the counter with the cup of tea in his hands and raised an eyebrow. “Really? And here I was, only trying to make everyone’s life as miserable as possible.” He chuckled a little. 

“Did you just make a joke?” Hermione pulled another pan out of the cabinet next to her sink and filled it with water. Getting a clean knife, she started to dice an onion and prep to make tomato soup. “Is tomato soup alright? If not, I could make something else.” 

“That’s perfect. I would have made sandwiches like I usually do after work.” 

“You don’t have a hot meal after work?” Hermione turned shocked. “Well, then, I will have to cook for two then.” 

“Truly, you don’t have to do that.” Severus finished his cup and placed it on the counter, filling with more tea. He took up a knife and started to dice tomatoes. 

“I don’t mind, Professor. I cook in large batches anyways. I can just as easily make food in your kitchen or bring meals over when I come in the afternoon.” 

“If I am to call you Hermione, then you may call me Severus.” He tipped the chopped tomatoes into the soup pot. “Why are you boiling water?” 

“I’m making beef stock for next week. I try to cook as often as I can to save money.” Hermione dropped beef bones into the water, covering the pot with a lid. “I make soup and freeze it so I’ll have it when it’s get cold, I have good hot soup without having to slave over it all the time.” 

“I see.” Severus continued to add to the soup they were making before it was due to simmer for a while. The pair went back to the living room for the remaining time, Severus walking among the shelves, looking at the titles she possessed. 

“These are some rare titles. Where did you get them?” Severus pulled a book off the shelf, titled, The art of defense potions. 

“My advisor gave them to me upon my graduation.” Hermione had traded her tea for a glass of white wine, and she walked around the room, lighting the lamps. 

“Who was your advisor?” Severus placed his cup down and was flipping through the book, slowly sinking into one of her armchairs. 

“Douglas Nickleson. Why?” She sat next to him on the sofa next to the armchair. 

“He was my advisor.” Severus was miles away as he read the book on his lap. “I haven’t seen him in years.” 

“He’s doing well. I say him two months ago, his daughter just had a little girl.” 

Hermione stood and walked into the kitchen, doling two helpings of the soup. “Would you like to eat in here or the living room? Wherever you choose, you can bring the book.” 

*S*S*

Hermione walked into the kitchen of Severus Snape’s home, a large tote over her arm. Making good of her promise, she had brought several meals for the man, so he didn’t have to cook for the next week. She had dug through her freezer, selecting meals that she had made that she thought he would like, the dates of their expiration on their lids. Stuffed chicken, baked ziti, soups and breads of all kinds, and any other item he could want were in the glass to go containers she had in her home. She was no Molly Weasley, but she could fend for herself. 

She walked into the kitchen where Severus was seated, his hands cupped around a mug of tea. His eyebrows threatened to take up residence in his hair line when she pulled out container after container of meals. 

“You do know, I can cook for myself and I do have working hands. I can navigate myself around a kitchen.” 

“I know that, but, now you just have to wave your wand and it’s like you cooked them fresh yourself. It’s the least I could do.” She placed the tote on the chair nearest her. “I also brought a few bottles of my parents’ homemade wines and some of my mother’s cheese and garlic bread. I figured it would be a change from the plain white in the house.” She pulled four full bottles of wine and a loaf of bread out, placing them on the counter. 

“You didn’t have to bring me wine, Miss Gra- Hermione. I can bake my own bread. Plain white is easier and cheaper in the market anyways.” 

“Well, I make bread fresh on the weekends. I am more than happy to bring you some on Mondays. I also make scones, biscuits and pies on Saturdays, which I could, again bring to you Monday mornings. I also wished to extend an invitation to my home for Thursday night. Professor Nickleson is coming for supper at 8pm.” 

“I wouldn’t want to impose. Have a good time, you don’t need to worry about me.” 

“Well, even if I didn’t want you there, which isn’t true, he did ask for you by name to come and visit. He wrote me this morning.” Hermione surrendered a letter to her former professor to read. 

Dearest Hermione, 

It has been much too long since we have had proper time to rehash the boring normality that is our lives together over a glass of strong mead. I have several pictures of Amber, the newest addition to my family to show you, and I am sure you have many complaints about that Ronald boy you are seeing that you would like to share with me. 

I also have heard through the grapevine that you are now the working with my ex-student Severus Snape. He is a wonderful person and you will learn a great deal from him. He was one of my most special students and I am so glad that he agreed to take you on and make you even better than you already are. You should bring him to one of our dinners, as I would like to catch up with him as well. I am free this Thursday, and if it suits you, we could meet at my home or yours at around 830pm?

All the best, 

Professor Nickleson

Hermione took the paper back and folded it in half. “I responded on our behalf. I told him that my house is always open and that I would try to make sure you were there.” 

Severus steepled his fingers and rested his fingers, contemplating the idea of a night with his employee and his old advisor. He had not seen Nickleson since he was a student, completing his mastery, and while they had written back and forth, there was little effort on Severus’ part for them to meet. 

“It would be a… pleasant change of pace. I assume that this is a formal occasion?” 

Hermione chuckled. “Merlin, no. The last time he and I got together, I sat on my couch with wine in my pajamas. Wear something comfortable. And no, you do not have to bring anything.” 

She finished putting the meals away, tucking the loaf of bread into the bread box. The wine was sent to the rack on the bar in the potions master’s dining room, waiting to be opened at a later date. “Have you eaten yet?” 

“I can feed myself, Hermione.” Snape finished his mug of tea. “And yes I have eaten. Now, we have work to do in the lab.” 

*S*S*

Hermione swiveled in her chair after lunch, writing out labels for the shipments that would go out that day. She was careful to keep the addresses neat and clear, while her 4 cauldrons of blood replenisher simmered for another 30 minutes. Professor Snape would not allow her to start another potion until the four were finished, as he didn’t trust her not to blow up the lab with five cauldrons going. 

She looked up from her work to see the man moving between two tables of cauldrons, his movements fluid and graceful. His wand flicked over ingredients and he had books and other paperwork flying around the room to their proper places without even a bat of the eye. She was aware of the eyes that would look at her every few minutes, but she was trying her best to ignore the man who was still hesitant around her. 

Hermione propped her head up with one hand and sighed a little. Her relationship with Snape had changed a little since her appointment as his assistant two weeks prior. He still would not call her by her first name easily. He always looked like he was in great pain when he did so. She could understand, as she was a thorn in his side for many years and she was one of the large reasons he was no longer in Azkaban. While he had only been there for a week, she still felt horrible that they were unable to get him out sooner. 

Harry, Ginny and Hermione had brought him good food and blankets for his stay there, and since the guards were now wizards and not the Dementors that once lurked the halls, it was easier to pull some strings and be granted daily access to the man to go over his trial and to give him meals. He had lost weight do to the stress of war and the stay in a damp, cold and stressful environment. When he appeared in court, he was a shell of himself.

Hermione waved her wand and the finished labels flew to their appropriate boxes, before she stood to bottle the mixture she was making. The bottles landed into the labeled boxes, settled into the packing material that was placed inside. She rubbed a hand across her neck, trying to relieve the ache that had settled in it. When she looked up, she noticed that the potions master was looking at her with his dark eyes. She gulped and returned to her brewing. 

*S*S*

Hermione shifted in her heels, her dress robes open to reveal the purple shirt and black pencil shirt she wore. She had a half dozen folders in her arms waiting to be dropped off on Minister Shacklebolt’s desk. In the last week, she had been handed the job that Percy Weasley had dreamed off for many years, Senior Under-Secretary to the Minister. It took up a lot of her time, and often, she found herself bringing her paperwork to Snape’s house to read through while the potions simmered. She had large purple bags under her eyes that she fruitlessly covered with concealer, biting back yawns in board meetings. 

When Hermione heard the man hang up the floo call, she walked into the room, knocking on the door with one hand. 

“Good morning, Minister!” She forced cheerfulness into her voice as she placed the folders on his desk and placed a steaming mug of tea onto the cork coaster he had for all his beverages. 

“Hermione, you look like hell. When was the last time you had a decent night’s rest?” Kingsley took a careful sip of his tea. 

“To be honest, sir? It’s been a while.” She rubbed her hand over the back of her neck. 

“What are you up to? Are you and young Ronald alright?” 

“Yes, sir, we’re alright.” Hermione smiled a little. “I got a new job with Prince Potions about three weeks ago and I’m still getting used to the hours.” 

“I’m worried Hermione. You come here, dead on your feet, then you rush out of here at close to go to another full time job. You’re going to burn out eventually.” 

“I will be fine sir.” Hermione bowed out of the room and went to her new office, sitting heavily in her seat. She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a vial of pepperup potion, one that was formulated to not give the telltale signs of the user ingesting it, like the smoke coming from one’s ears. As she swallowed the mixture and felt her energy return, Harry Potter, dressed in his Auror robes poked his head in, holding two breakfast burritos and tea. 

“I figured you would need a pick me up.” He sat in her chair for visitors and handed her the meal. 

“Thank you.” She took a sip of the tea before unwrapping the burrito and taking a bite. “I am so tired. I have no idea how I am going to get through the day.” 

“How late were you out last night?” Harry started to eat his own meal.

“I got home around 1:30 am.” Hermione shook her head. “I should have gone home sooner. He usually only keeps me till 8, but we were so close to catching up to all the orders, we kept working until it was done.” She looked into the mirror on her desk and pulled at her bags. “The minister is going to send me home, I can feel it. I feel fine, just a little tired. Snape wants me to take the night off anyways so I can sleep.” 

“I thought you weren’t going to have nights off for another 5 months?” Harry wrapped more of his food, prepared to take a bite. 

“I thought the same thing. But he was falling asleep standing up. He doesn’t want to work tomorrow and therefore, neither do I.” She sighed. So tonight, I get to sleep and tomorrow, Professor Nickleson and Snape are coming to my house to have dinner. He and I both had Nickleson as our advisor in school.” 

Harry shook his head. “Ron is going to go spare. He’s been ranting about how you don’t want to spend time with him and such for the last two weeks.” 

“I know, he came to my house two or so days ago to yell about my jobs and how I should quit. But, I’m doing this for him and I. This money is going to pay for a house for the two of us. This will pay for the wedding he keeps bringing up that he wants to have, but he hasn’t proposed yet, mind you. Also, he hasn’t been putting money into the joint account, so I drained it of my money and put it into my independent house fund.” She swiped at her eyeshadow. “I’m not sure if it was the smartest move, but it was a gut feeling.” 

“It’s for the best. Ron isn’t the smartest with money. He blew quite a few galleons on dinner the other night.” 

“You all went out the other night?” Hermione picked up her tea again. 

“He didn’t tell you?” Harry looked down at his own tea. “He said he was going to.” 

“I assume he figured I wouldn’t be going out regardless. Long hours and such.” She took a long sip and drained her mug. 

“’Mione, we want to hang out with you. Tell you what, on Friday, come over to my place. Ginny will be there, and we can catch up like old times. We don’t even have to tell Ron.” 

“Can I let you know how I feel on Thursday?” 

“Of course. Ginny always cooks too much. We planned on inviting George. He’s been out of sorts for a little bit and we want to get him away from everything.” 

*S*S*

Hermione walked into Severus’ house, hanging her bag up on the hook along with her sweater, taking out the folder of paperwork she had to do for the minister for the next morning. “Hello, sir.” She gave Dover a pat and moved to the cellar to begin her work. 

Severus watched her move down the stairs, closing the door behind her. He had noticed that she was starting to burn out, which was not good. He had seen her like this once before, when she was working in her third year, trying to finish all of her school work, going backwards and forward in time, struggling to stay awake during his lessons and during meal times. He knew there was a chance that her ruining her career over this, as he had done the same once before, but he was willing to help her along the way as much as he could. 

He took a moment to feed Dover and to clean up the kitchen before he too went down into the lab, where Hermione was seated at her table, with labels filling out behind her and sticking to the boxes, while she chopped newt tail, jarring it for later. 

“Miss Granger,” Severus started, “Is everything alright? You seem very tired today and if I am honest with myself, you have been tired for the past week, to the point where I am getting worried.” 

“I’m fine, sir.” Hermione tipped the tails into the jar and started on the beetle eyes, popping them out of their casings and dropping them into the jars, with the preservation charms on them. She stifled a yawn, trying to keep her eyes from dropping closed. She had slept a full 12 hours the night before, but she was still tired, which frustrated her to no end. She had to leave a little early to get the food prepared for the dinner she was hosting, but she figured that she could make up for the lost time by speeding through the prep with a little magic. She hated using magic when she was cooking but they planned on eating by 830. 

“Are you sure you will be ready to host myself and Professor Nickleson?” Severus sat down at his desk and started at the paperwork that needed to be done. 

“Yes, I will. I just need to leave a few minutes early so I can get everything ready for the meal, which is mostly just the prepping. I have some of it done, but not all.” Hermione wiped a hand over her face and took a deep breath. “I need about fifteen minutes for prep, that’s all I need.” 

Severus took his glasses out of the case and put them on his nose. “I can help you with that, if it makes things easier. I know how to cook, I just don’t do so often. But I can work my way around a kitchen, and I can take direction from others.” 

Hermione smiled a little and nodded, as the labels finished writing themselves. With a wave of her wand, the labels attached themselves to the boxes, and the remaining potions bottled themselves. The bottles made it to the boxes and the boxes sealed themselves. With her jobs for the time being done, she started on her paperwork, the work that was needed for her job at the ministry, which she had neglected for the last day. She needed to get her work done, or run the risk of another getting her job. She needed the money for her house fund, and she desperately wanted to buy a real home in the next few years. 

She watched from the corner of her eye, Severus pack up for the day. There were no new orders and there wouldn’t be until tomorrow the earliest. With a sigh, she packed up her papers and filed out of the lab, gathering up her items. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked to the floo with her items. 

“How do you work with those heels?” Severus packed away his jacket and robes, choosing to stay in his white pressed shirt and his black dress slacks. 

“I work a desk job for the most part. Heels don’t hurt me like someone who works on their feet every day.” 

Hermione landed on her feet on her living room rug and moved out of the way for Severus to come through. Once he was in, Hermione went to her shoe rack and kicked her shoes off, placing them where they should be. Severus walked to the kitchen, ready to begin cooking. Hermione followed behind him, waving her wand to light the lamps and to uncovered the vegetables that she had prepped that morning before work. 

“So, what are we cooking?” 

Hermione dumped the veggies onto a baking tray with a little pepper, salt and olive oil. “I was thinking about having some roasted zucchini, squash, peppers and corn with roasted chicken and risotto. I made the vegetables the last time he was here, and he really liked them. I also want to make a light salad or a light summer soup, just something to tide us over until the chicken is done.” 

“I could use the squash to make a squash soup.” Severus took a large pot and prepared to start making a little more soup than they would need in order to freeze the helpings for the coming week. Hermione laid three medium sized chicken breasts on another pan, spicing it to the tastes of her guests. Once that was in the oven, she started on the risotto which was a personal favorite of the university professor’s. 

“Is there something that I am missing?” Hermione started to stir the contents of the pan while Severus stirred the soup. 

“Do you have anymore of your mother’s bread?” Severus seasoned the soup a little, tasting the mixture with a spoon from the drawer. 

“I do, was that something you liked?” Hermione smiled at him. 

“Well, it was a very delicious of loaf. Some of the best that I have ever had.” Severus’ face tinged red at the tops of his cheekbones and on the tip of his nose. 

“If you liked it, feel free to take more. I always have some in the house.” Hermione opened the oven to check on the chicken before she waved her wand to allow the risotto to stir itself so she could sit. “Would you like a drink? I have wine, rum, brandy, whiskey, tea, water, beer, some muggle soda. Anything I don’t have, there is a market down the street I can pop to in order to get whatever you wish.” 

“Tea would be nice, and I might take you up on the whiskey as the night progresses.” Severus waited until she waved her wand and two steaming cups landed on the sideboard with milk and sugar being added as if by an invisible hand. 

Severus took a sip and closed his eyes, relishing at the taste. He never seemed to make the tea as well as Miss Granger seemed to. He would never tell her, but in the three weeks they had worked together, he could see them becoming friends. With the Dark Lord dead, and the worst of the death eaters were either dead, Kissed, or were in Azkaban, so if they were to be friends there was little worry of the retaliation that could happen. 

However, there was a little issue that he had called gripping fear of rejection. Therefore, he would never try to be her friend. 

*S*S*

“Professor!” Hermione stepped across the floor, sliding across the floor a little in her pantyhose and skirt. She had yet to change from work and the only difference was that her robes were in the laundry waiting to be washed. 

The old man came out of the floo with a basket in one hand and a cane in the other. “Hermione, my dear, it has been too long!” He handed her the basket and accepted the wine she handed him. 

“How is the family?” Hermione led him to the kitchen, one hand on his arm and the other out to open the door. 

“Wonderful, just wonderful! Severus, my dear boy, it’s been nearly 20 years has it not?” Nickleson placed his wine and cane down and embraced the man who was at the stove cooking. Severus placed the spoon down and hugged the man back, patting him a few times. 

“I am so glad that you and Hermione are working together. The community is absolutely buzzing with excitement. The brightest witch of her age and the youngest ever to get his mastery, ooohoo, I was excited that I could say I taught you both.” He let the younger man go and then sat heavily on the chair, sipping his wine. 

“Hermione and I have been having these little dinners for a while now, we usually complain about our lives and such, but now that you’re here, Severus, you can join our little club.” He shifted around as Hermione and Severus joined him at the table. 

“So, Hermione, tell me. How are you and Ronald doing? How is the house hunting?” 

“I am not even sure. We had a joint account for the fund, but I drained it a little over a month ago, as he wasn’t putting any money in. I opened my own account and have been shoveling as much as I could into it every month, but Ron doesn’t seem to care. We’re supposed to be saving for our wedding but he doesn’t seem too interested in that either.” She sighed and settled a little further down in her seat. “He’s more focused on the fact that I work round the clock now and I am not around to party with him as I used to. That seems to be all he wants to do.” 

“My dear, if he truly loves you, he’ll come around. Now, Severus, what’s new with you?” 

“Not too terribly much. I have hired Miss Granger here, but in the past few years not much has been new.” He waved his wand, and the meal plated itself and flew to the table. 

“What about you, Professor?” 

“Well, I have three new grandchildren and I have found out that I am to be a great-grandfather, which is very exciting, and I am to be the advisor of three new promising pupils.” He took a spoonful of the squash soup and made a delighted noise. “Hermione, did you make this?” 

“No, that was all Severus. He is quite the master in the kitchen.” Hermione took a bite herself, and gave Severus a small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I am back and I am very much alive. Yesterday was my 21st birthday so I wasn’t around to update, but I am working on the other stories I have going on as well. Thank you all for being so patient with me and the fact that I don’t update very often.* 
> 
> Lots of love, 
> 
> Erectopatronum 
> 
> *Originally posted on FF.net 8/5/18


	4. Contracts and Patents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is certain but death and taxes. But money, however, seems to be too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is very quickly becoming my most popular story and I am so happy! We are about 20 favorite away from my first hundred and I am shocked and grateful that you all want to be updated when I post new chapters! I also realized I made a mistake in the last chapter. To clarify: Hermione is on a trial period with Snape for a month, not six. I got mixed up with another story I am currently writing. Please keep reviewing and favoriting! IT makes my day to keep getting the emails that you all like my stories!

Hermione stood at the sink, washing the dinner dishes while Severus and Professor Nickleson sat in the living room, drinking wine and catching up with one another. She was trying to make sure that she gave them the space that they needed in order for Severus to be open with his old mentor. She knew she didn’t have to do the dishes by hand, but it was a holdover from when she helped her mother do the dishes when she was a young child. 

She poked her head out of the room, a wet sponge still in her hand. Severus and Professor Nickleson were on the couch, both with a glass of scotch and a large collection of books on the coffee table before them. Hermione had never seen Professor Snape so laid back and, dare she say, happy. She never would have been able to imagine that Severus Snape would be so relaxed in her home. But here he was, lounging back on her threadbare sofa, laughing easily with the elderly man. 

She stuck the last dish into the drying rack and took a rag from her oven handle to dry her hands, turning back to the food that was waiting to be put in the refrigerator. She planned on keeping a third of the food for herself and sending the rest with the two men that were in her living room, making their way through her personal bar. 

She didn’t mind too much. Professor Nickleson had been a positive influence in both her life and Severus Snape’s, and she knew that not many of them were still alive any longer. She understood the feeling. With her parents memories just returned to their entirety, she and her mother and father were having to build that trusting and loving relationship up from scratch. Her parents had been livid when they discovered she had alters their memories without consent, but they would never had understood. The Death Eaters didn’t know what they looked like, and she had made a very hard effort to make sure they came into the Wizarding World with her as little as possible. Because there was no photos published of Emma and John Granger to the Wizard Public, she could simply wipe their memories and give them the little push they needed to move. Leaving the listings of homes in Australia on their coffee table had done the trick.

“Hermione, dear!” she heard Nickleson’s booming voice from the living room, so she walked around the corner to see him waving a full glass of scotch, the liquid sloshing over the edge of the glass onto her Persian rug. The rug, she didn’t care too much about. She had taken much of the Granger’s belongings when she altered their memories, making them think they had sold many things in preparation to move. The things she took were tucked into storage for a few years until she could get the apartment she was in now, so she had some furniture. 

“Oops, sorry my dear,” he slurred his words a little. “I was telling Severus here what a bright student you were, and here he is, telling me that you lit him on fire when you were 11?” 

Hermione’s cheeks turned bright red, causing Severus to smirk. “you knew about that?”

“Of course I did, Miss Granger. Who else in the school could conjure electric blue flames?” Snape took a sip of his drink. “You ruined my favorite winter cloak by the way. The one I bought as a replacement will never compare.” He flicked imaginary dust off of his cloak, reaching out to grasp another book, placing his scotch on the Gryffindor coaster that sat on the table. 

“I am truly sorry, professor, I was…I just…”

“Miss Granger, first of all, I am no longer your professor, and secondly, what’s done is done. It was what, eleven years ago? I can hardly take away house points any longer.” 

“I suppose that’s true.” Hermione ran a hand through her bushy hair and sighed. Moving to the bar at the other end of the living room, she poured herself a glass of white wine and joined them in front of the coffee table where her books were spewn all over. 

She was always one for order, and when Ron moved her books to places that they did not belong, she went crazy, yelling at him, her hair even larger and her wand was usually in her hand, ready to jinx him as soon as he moved too close. But for some reason, as Severus moved through the stacks he had pulled from her library, she wasn’t too angry. She was still itching to put them back, but she wasn’t ready to curse the dour man. 

“Where did you get all these books, Miss Granger?” 

“Oh, um, well, I have bought some, received about half as gifts and I rescued the rest from the Hogwarts Library. When the death eaters invaded the school, they lit the room on fire. I snuck in and put them in my expandable bag. I then, after the war, returned those that Madame Pince wanted back to the school and kept those she deemed unrepairable. My friend from school has experience mending books so I took all of these to her and she saved them for me. Now I have a rather large collection which I am very proud of.” 

“Why am I not surprised you risked your life for books?” Severus shook his head and opened the cover to The magical uses of kitchen herbs in standard potions.

*S*S*

The two quickly fell into a routine. Hermione worked with the ministry 9-330, Monday through Thursday. Then she went to Severus’ home from 4-9, to go home and feed herself and the cat, shower and any thing else that needed to get done. On Monday, she brought Severus his weekly meals and some of her books. Severus, in return, would give her some of his and some of the wine he made. He had also clued her into a grocery delivery service so she no longer had to wake up at 6 am to sleepily buy her groceries. 

Friday through Sunday, she arrived at 9am and stayed until about 9pm, filling orders and making sure that the labels for the boxes were correct. In the rare occasions that they would finish on time, Hermione helped her ex-teacher experiment with his potions and elixirs. He seemed to get the most enjoyment out of those moments, where they could talk professional to professional, and he didn’t have to dumb it down, as he seemed to when she was a student. 

Her friends were very happy for her, and she was saving more money than she ever had before. Putting away 350 gallons a month, she was well on her way to being the wealthiest muggleborn woman in the Wizarding World. Within a year, she realized, she would have 4,200 gallons in her account, which would be more than enough to put a down payment on a home. Now, she had to get Ronald to do his share with the house fund and they would be able to make a life for themselves.

But Ronald was not too happy with the idea of a house fund, and it had been open for six months, but he hadn’t even put away a knut. Hermione had saved 150 gallons a month for the last year, trying to move out of her apartment and to get her life on track. Her personal savings was low, but her home fund contribution was large, stopping at 1,800 gallons. Her mother had been telling her to pull her savings for a while, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to, though she did add to the account that money could not be taken out without her there. Either way, she was the only one with a key. 

On the last day of her probation, Hermione arrived at work with a large envelope in her hands, and a basket of muffins and scones. The basket was placed on her employer’s breakfast bar and the envelope was carried to Snape’s study where he was seated, going over forms that had been sent in that morning. 

“Ah, Miss Granger, I was wondering when you were to get here.” He stood and gathered the documents into a single folder, readying himself for another day’s work. 

“I’m sorry for being nearly late, sir. I was readying this.” She handed him the folder. 

“What’s this?” Severus placed his own folder down and opened the one from Hermione. As his eyes skimmed down the page, his eyebrows shot up higher and higher in his hairline. “Miss Granger, this, to me, seems like a letter of farewell. But why? Have you had enough of this experience after 31 days or have you found a better paying job?” 

“Well, no sir, but I figured you would be letting me go after the trail period was over.” Hermione looked down at her toes, waiting for the hammer to fall. “It was my understanding that you found me increasingly annoying and hard to work with.” 

“I see,” Severus sat back down at his desk and laid the paper out before him. Resting one hand on his forehead, he reread the paper over and over. 

Full minutes passed and Hermione was starting to sweat. She had hoped that right away Snape would tell her she was an idiot and to get to work, but he was not. Instead, he was completely silent.

After a lifetime, or so it had seemed, had passed, Snape looked up and tucked the paper into the folder again. “Are you happy working here, Miss Granger?” 

“What?” Of all the questions she thought she would be answering, that was not one of them. 

“Are you happy here?” 

“Well, yes, sir, I am. I get to work with a master in my field, I am doing what I love and I am not just a pencil pusher like I am at the Ministry.” Hermione smiled. She loved her job with Severus Snape. She was actually making something that was helping people, that she could say actually helped people. Yes, the laws that she helped pass were helpful, and she could see the slow progress of change, but with the potions she made, she knew if she could watch a patient take the healing liquid, there would be actual change. 

“Well, that’s all I needed to hear.” Severus pulled out a stack of stapled parchment and handed it over for her to read. 

“What is this?” Hermione flipped through the pages. 

“A permanent contract. I am offering you the position if you want it. If you sign it, I will not look for someone to replace you unless you violate one of the rules that are listed in the contract. 

Hermione looked down at the parchment in her hand and sat on the couch that was against the back wall in his study. Flipping through the papers she read the list of rules she was not able to violate. 

1\. Being late more than 3 times a month with no explanation will result in termination.   
2\. Waste of valuable ingredients and/or the destruction of Prince Potions property will result in termination.  
3\. Failure to preform duties asked of employee in a timely manner will result in termination.   
4\. Failure to give notice of time off for vacations/ appointments/ etc. more than three times in a month will result in termination.   
5\. Failure to give notice of new employment two weeks in advance will result in notice to new employer of the fact. 

Hermione looked up after reading to see Severus looking at her with a quill held out to her. “What say you, Miss Granger?” He smirked. “Would you like to make this a permanent position?” 

“Yes, I would.” Hermione got up and took the quill, signing her name with a flourish. “So. I saw on the last condition that you need notice for new jobs?” She cleared her throat. “I’m not sure if this counts, but I was promoted. I am now the senior undersecretary to the minister.” 

Snape nodded, leaning back in his chair, looking thoughtful. Then he reached into hos desk and pulled out a leather bound notebook. “Have you received an increase in salary?” 

“Not that I am aware of. Why?” Hermione placed the quill back in it’s holder and the contract was placed next to the notebook. 

“Ask your employer. If they raise your salary, I’ll match it. But, depending on how business goes, your salary with me might drop or lower. It’s in your contract as well. You’ll never drop below 200 galleons a month, however, but if I cannot afford to match you one month, I hope you can understand that I will not be able to.” 

“I completely understand, sir.” 

Snape closed his notebook after making a few notes and put it away. “Now, we have much work to be done. Go hang your jacket and bag up and meet me in the lab.”

He swept from the room, lightly treading down the stairs, the door shutting behind him. Hermione stood up and hung her jacket and bag on her hook, a wide smile on her face. A permanent job in her field was her dream. She could not believe the luck she had, and she hoped that it would last. 

*S*S*

“Sir?” Hermione knocked on the door of Kingsley Shacklebolt. “I have the files you requested.” 

“Perfect, bring them here.” Kingsley extended his hand and took the three files Hermione had for him. “Why these Death Eaters are asking for a turn of sentence is beyond me. Look at this-“ He showed her one of the requests. “Avery- charged with murder, torture, rape, conspiring to commit terror- the list goes on. He was given a life sentence in Azkaban. Now, he’s asking for parole. That new bill is a blessing and a curse, I’ll tell you.” 

The bill, Hermione knew, was the Wulfric Bill, granting those in Azkaban for longer times, or even life sentences, to apply for parole. The requests went through a parole board and then those who were approved where then sent to the Minister, who had final say. So far, Kingsley had only approved 1 person. 

“Why is that, sir?” Hermione waited to be invited to sit, in case he was too busy to talk. She needed him in a good mood before she asked for a pay raise. 

“Well, some of these people were in fact, put there as a mistake. But Avery, Nott? They are criminals, and they will be serving their life sentences. I cannot release them into the general public again, even with being on house arrest. No, it is too dangerous.” He smiled. “Is there anything I can help you with? I know I load a lot onto you.” 

“Well, sir… there was something I wanted to ask… not that I am ungrateful… But I was wondering if I could… I would like a pay raise sir.” Hermione let it out in a rush. “I think that I do more work than I am currently paid for and I would like to be compensated for that.”

The minister sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised. He looked thoughtful, and a little shocked, but he kept his cool. Hermione looked nervous, and she knew it, but she could not help it. But she had said it, and there was no going back. 

Finally, he sat forward and picked up his quill. Pulling out a large folder of documents, he opened it quickly and flipped through the pages. Hermione caught glimpses of her name and the names of her friends, her old wanted poster from the second wizarding war and other documents that were not public knowledge. 

“it says here that you make 200 galleon a month here?” Kingsley looked at her at last. 

“Yes, sir I do.” 

“I actually was going to talk to you about this. It’s in the budget for your salary to be doubled as the senior undersecretary. That’s why Umbridge didn’t want to leave the job. You should be making 400 galleons a month here. I can put that through easily enough. Was there anything else? Any other money you think should be allocated?” 

Hermione tapped her lip with her finger. “If its not too much trouble, perhaps we would be able to give Mr. Weasley a raise?” 

“Arthur?” Another folder was taken out with a spreadsheet of salaries. After some time, he started to tip his bald head back and forth. “It is possible. I’ll pass along a recommendation to his supervisor and imply that I want it approved. However, for you, in the next pay period, you will see an increase in pay.” 

“Perfect, thank you, Minister.” She was relieved. She had never imagined it would go as well as it did, but here she was, now making 600 galleons a month. And if good fortune held out, she would be making 800 a month which would fill her house fund quicker than she ever imagined. Ron wouldn’t be too pleased. He had already sent her flowers, the note expressing how proud he was of her for getting her free time back. They were having dinner with Harry and Ginny tonight, the first time in a month. Harry and Ginny knew that she was still working for Snape, and that he was going to increase her pay. Her excited floo call had spilled every detail from the night before. 

When Harry had asked her if she had told Ron, she was silent and shook her head. 

“He wouldn’t understand, Harry.” Hermione cried, shaking her head. “He’s been counting down the days till I would be let go. He’s so ready for us to get our nights back. But I’m trying to save money for him and I.” 

“But Hermione, you’ve said it yourself. He’s not helping you save, he wants you to quit your job, the job mind you, that you have been dreaming of for years. Are you working with Severus Snape, yes, but he is a master in his field. Your field, which makes it even more important. He has so many connections, connections that I don’t need to remind you, you need. You’re known for being my best friend, but now you need to be known as Hermione Granger, the Potions Mistress.”

“I understand that Harry, but what if he takes it the wrong way, what if we break up?” 

“Then you break up.” Ginny’s head popped over her fiancé’s shoulder. “I love my brother, but if he is acting like a complete knob over a job, then he’s not worth it.”

“I’m not afraid of being single. I just don’t know what it will do to us.” 

“You two will be fine-“ 

“No, no! Us, you me, Ginny, Ron. Hanging out will be weird, parties will be weird. I have a feeling I won’t be invited to family events, I’ll miss out on your children’s birthdays and holidays.” Hermione sighed. “That’s what I’m scared of.” 

“There is no way that is going to happen. We will never leave you, dating Ron or not.” Ginny’s voice was firm. “You’re the sister I never got to have. You’re my mother’s second daughter. My family’s eighth child.” She smiled kindly. “We will always have you around.” 

Hermione walked back to her desk, that now sat in an actual office, Umbridge’s old office in fact. The walls had been bright pink with the desk a blush color, but Hermione had spent one whole workday repainting the walls a dove grey with red trim, and restaining the desk to be a dark oak color. The curtains were charmed to be red and grey, with squashy red armchairs as her visitor chairs. She wanted a loving and warm atmosphere that would help her guests stay relaxed. She had a large tea service in her office as well, so she no longer had to go to the tea witch to get her morning brew. 

As she sat at her desk and started to work, her new assistant, Daniel, knocked on the door. 

“Hermione? A gentleman is here to see you.” 

“Oh, okay, let him in.” She sat up and smoothed her skirt, placing her quill back into her holder. She was expecting Ron, and she would spill the beans about the Prince Potions job, but to her great surprise, Severus Snape himself walked into the doorway. 

“Hello, sir! What do I owe the pleasure?” Hermione stood up and offered him a seat. He looked at her with eyebrows raised before he transfigured the chair into a winged back, black armchair, like the one he had in his living room. 

“I am here to file a patent for one of my potions. I suppose I was being kind and stopping by to see how the pay raise was going?” 

Hermione waved her wand and the tea service whistled. One more wave and mugs were poured and milk and sugar added. It flew over to her and Severus respectively, waiting patiently to be drunk. Severus took a drink of the brew and nodded his thanks. 

“Really well, actually. I now make 400 galleons a month here, which is more than I ever thought I would be making. It’s been in the budget all this time, he was just waiting for me to be an adult and bring it up. I’m glad that I did.” She sipped her own tea. 

“I see. Well, it appears that I will be owing you some money.” Severus made a note on his leather bound journal. 

“What about you? What potion are you submitting?” Hermione took the patient that was handed to her over the desk.

Patient name: Cutis mollitis animis solution

Date submitted: August 10th 2002

Patient submitter(s): Severus Tobias Snape and Hermione Jean Granger

Potions purpose/ function: This potion’s function is to provide the user with a skin balm intended for dry, cracked skin. Primarily for the use of smoothing callouses and dry and cracked heels. The balm is gentle on non-dry skin and works well filling the damaged skin with moisture. 

Testing needed: Testing has been done and documentation is attached. 

Location Testing was done: Cokesworth, England

Private use or Public Use: The potion is intended to be public, available for sale in apothecaries and for use in schools. Private venders such as St. Mungo’s would be able to contact the above mentioned submitters for a private sale if public venders are unable to fill orders. Proof of contact must be provided from a public vender before private sales will be completed. 

Hermione looked at her employer with wide eyes. “You added me as a submitter? Why?” 

Severus smiled a little. “You worked on the project, did you not?” 

“I did, but you’re the owner of the business.” Hermione handed him back the patient form. 

“Miss Granger, I am not a tyrant. I will be giving you credit where credit is due. You worked hard and I think you should take the credit where it is given. Regardless, I will be entering your name whether you like it or not. You did the work, therefore you will take the credit. Or, I’ll dock your pay.” 

Hermione smiled and leaned back in her chair, sipping her cooling tea. “And you said I was an insufferable know it all. Turns out it pays off.” 

“You’ve matured, I’ll give you that. However, I think the insufferable part still stands.” Severus shifted a little on his chair. “You still have the ability to annoy me and you do it a little too often for my liking.”: 

“And yet,” Hermione put her tea down and picked up the documents she was going over before he had come into her office. “You offered me a full time position, you are including me in your patient and you have yet to kill me for being annoying.” She picked up her quill and marked a few pages for the Minister to sign. 

“Do you tire of this?” Severus asked her, waving his hand over her desk. “This paper pushing?” 

“Not really. And I’m not just paper pushing. Umbridge used this job to gain power. I am using it to make a difference in the world. We have just officially placed Lupin’s Law into effect, making it illegal to discriminate against those who are afflicted with illnesses that they are not at fault for, like lycanthropy. We have started the Wulfric Bill, but that’s caused a few more headaches than help. We are also starting to draft a bill banning the mistreatment of house elves. No outlawing them, but owners of elves are no longer allowed to make their elves punish themselves. And we are also shutting down the elf auctions, at least the ones that are not ministry controlled.” 

“And pray tell, how will these auctions be ministry controlled?” 

“The ministry will have a certain number of elves for sale that month and people will come here, where a ministry official, that has yet to be hired, they will oversee the auctions, will start the auction. There, you will be paying a small tax for the elves, signing off, saying you understand the bill and we will be able to make sure all the elves are in good health before they are sent to new homes. That’s the major issue. Families are getting elves that aren’t well, or their magic hasn’t fully matured, and they are getting majorly sick and dying. IT doesn’t help that they are being beaten or they are being told that they need to punish themselves for cold tea.” 

Snape, Hermione could see, looked impressed. “I was under the impression, Miss Granger, that you would be drafting a bill to release them from service. But this is a smart move.” 

Hermione nodded. “Thank you, sir. I learned from my youth that you cannot free them if they do not want to be free. We already limited those who can sell elves to the public. IT’s been received fairly well, which is surprising. But we did make the point clear, we are not shutting down the elf trade, but we are regulating it. There are just too many independent venders to be safe.” 

“Do you have a long term goal for these bills?” 

“Eventually, we would like to shut down the trade, but it’s a while off. We need people to get used to these changes before we completely shut it down.” 

“It wouldn’t do to have the masses rebel,” Snape got up and gathered his papers. “Thank you for the tea, Miss Granger. I hope you have a good time tonight with your friends.” 

“Thank you very much sir. It’s going to be weird not being at work.” Hermione smirked as he swept from the room. 

*S*S*

“There she is!” Harry yelled across the restaurant, getting her attention. 

“Hey Harry!” She had changed from her harsh skirt suit ministry attire to the outfit she had worn to the interview with Severus Snape a month before. 

She took the glass of wine that Ginny had poured for her, laughing when Harry kissed her on the cheek. “Watch yourself Potter, your fiancé wont be too happy.” 

“I trust him and I trust you. But you know how many curses that I know so I could technically kill you.” Ginny pulled Hermione to her set and pushed down on her shoulders so she would sit. 

“Where’s Ron?” 

“He and George will be coming soon. There was an issue at the shop that they’re trying o fix.” Harry sat down at the able as well and took a piece of bread. 

“I hope it was nothing too awful,” Hermione took bread for herself as well. 

“It shouldn’t be too bad. If it was, most likely, they wouldn’t be coming.” Harry pushed the bread basket closer to Ginny so she could get her own piece. 

“There she is!” Ron’s voice boomed through the air, his magenta robes still hanging off his body. “Sorry we’re late. Some kid opened a portable swamp in the store. We had to clean it up before he stank up the whole store.” He ,kissed Hermione hello. 

George sat at the table after greeting his sister and future brother in law, “So Hermione, your trial is up. Are you continuing with your work with Snape or are you moving onto greener pastures?” 

“Of course she’s moving on! He works her like a dog an d she never gets to see us because she’s so tired. I wouldn’t be surprised if she cursed the man when she left.” 

Hermione fidgeted with her napkin, twisting it around and around her finger. “Not exactly, Ron. I didn’t actually quit. He offered me to work for him permentatly and I accepted. He’s going to raise my pay to match my pay at the Ministry.”

“What?” Ron exclaimed, fire raging in his eyes. “You’re going to keep working for him?” 

“Ronald, tell me, what job in my field will pay me 400 galleons a month? I just got my mastery. No one trusts me yet. He does. In fact, he submitted my name on a potion that he created in order to help me build my resume for my mastery. He’s doing more for me than anyone else ever has. Even my professors at University didn’t do that!” 

“He’s a Slytherin!” Ron spat, “And he killed Dumbledore!” 

“Ron, you’re spouting things that were stated in court. Are you that biased that you cannot see that you’re crazy. He was cleared of all charges, and I believe that he is a smart and honest man. He risked his life for us, for the world. He made it possible for us to be able to live the life we are living. As far as I can tell, he still has the scars from the snack bites and unlike us, he carries a physical reminder of his sacrifice.” 

“No physical sacrifice? Hermione, you have mudblood permentaly carved into your arm.” 

“I don’t care about that. It’s who I am, but to compare them to the scars that Severus Snape carried is not fair to me or to him. We are different people and while we fought for the same cause, we fought for different reasons. He and I work together yes, and it is something you will have to come to terms with.” 

“Like hell I can’t compare you two. And no I dint have to get used to it.” Ron stood up from his chair. “It’s going to be our relationship or this job, Hermione. I’m sick of playing second fiddle to Prince Potions.” 

“No that’s childish. You told me to apply for the job in the first place!” Hermione was so angry at him. He was the reason that she had the job in the first place, and now he was getting angry. She wondered if there ws an issue of her making more money than him. He liked when she first got the job at the ministry and she was at the bottom, working the same job as her assistants. Then she started to move up the ladder. He got more and more on edge about money, as she got closer and closer to his salary. Once she got the job in the minister’s office, actually helping to write laws, he got testy about money, and refused to talk about it.. Now, she was the next in line to be nominated for minister. 

“I didn’t think it would take you away for so long!” 

“I can request nights off now! That’s the whole point of he sticking it out! I’m bringing in 800 galleons a month. That’s going to pay for our wedding, the house you keep saying you want to build, and any children that we have!” 

“You know, maybe I don’t even want to have a wedding anymore,” He said calmly, looking her in the eye before he left.   
Hermione froze, but she didn’t allow herself to get upset. She knew he would take it this way. And she also knew that if she had broken the news in private, Still, the people who could see into the private room they were seated in were still staring. Thankfully, a kind waiter flossed the folding doors around them so they would have some privacy. 

“He’s a prat, Hermione, but he’ll come around.” George reached out and touched her hand. 

“I’m not upset about that, but that he chose to fight about it in public. I get that he doesn’t like professor Snape, but he’s done more for me than I ever expected.” Hermione took a sip of her wine. “Snape got me a patient, he got me a job, he’s teaching me how to negotiate for myself and for any business that I might have.” She shook her head. “I’m trying to make this work, but in the past month, Ron has been nasty to me. He’s never been like this before. Ever since I got the job.” 

Ginny reached out and touched her hand. “IF he needs to be a knob, then ignore him until he’s less of a knob.” She smiled. “No, this is to celebrate you. You have a job in your field with an actual contract!” 

“Yes, and I got a pay raise today!” 

“That’s the spirt! Also, my father got in contact with me today. Apparently, he got a pay raise as well! From making 15 Galleons a month to 100 galleons a month, can you believe it?” 

“Mom and Dad will actually have a savings!” 

While Ginny and George got excited for their parents, Harry gave Hermione a knowing look.


	5. Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

The next morning, Hermione entered the Snape residence, patting Dover on the head as she hung her belongings on the hook by the door. She had started to write Ron a note that morning, to send to the shop for him to get when he got in that morning, but she thought better of it. He was never apologizing, and she seemed to be always going to him to make sure they were okay. Now, she was making him come to her, but it seemed that would never happen. 

She went to the kitchen, where Severus Snape was seated, his morning tea sitting near his left elbow as he read the morning paper. 

“Morning, Miss Granger. I assume last night was a success?” 

“More or less…” She poured herself a mug of tea and sat across from him. 

“That doesn’t seem too promising.” He folded the paper and laid it down, looking at her for the first time since she walked into the house. 

“Ron and I had another fight.” She sighed. “I’m so sick of the fights, and he can’t seem to let anything go.” 

Severus wasn’t sure, but he felt like he needed to be there for his assistant. He remembered how hard it had been when he and Lily had their blowout fifth year, and there was no one there for him. He spent the next two years more or less completely alone, and it was hell. There was no teachers he could talk to and his ‘friends’ who were death eaters were too excited that he and the ‘Mudblood’ were no longer talking. He knew it was a different situation, and that the muggleborn girl before him was different than him but he felt that he needed to at least extend his hand to her, to help her through this and to give her some advice. 

“What was it about this time?” He had a feeling it was about him, and the job that he gave her, and as much as he didn’t care about the redheaded boy, he was growing to care about her assistant. She was becoming at the very least an acquaintance to him, and he, deep down, hoped she felt the same way. 

“Well, for starters, he thought that I had quit working for you, and when he found out he exploded. I think he thought I would be voluntarily giving up the best opportunity that’s ever come my way. I’m working with a master in the same field as me, one with over 20 years of experience, which is amazing. Because of you, I have a patient submitted with my name on it, which I never would have thought would happen until I was at least 5 years in. He’s biased, and it shows. He stormed out of the restaurant after causing a scene.” 

“I’m very sorry you had to go through that, Miss Granger.” 

Hermione smiled at him. “Please, call me Hermione for the thousandth time. We work together permanently now, it’s only fitting. All my colleges call me by my first name, even the minister.” 

“Very well, Miss- Hermione. Then you must stop with the Sir business. Severus will do just fine, in this case. But, only in this house, if you please. I fear unjust attention will be pinned to you if people think that you and I are more than colleges. 

Hermione knew she was a private man, but she didn’t realize that he was so private he didn’t want people to know he was on a first name basis with his co worker. 

“Of course Severus.” She smiled. Waving her wand, she enlarged a basket, full of breakfast items and the meals she always brought. The muffins and scones flew out of the basket, landing on the little stand she had brought for them on the counter, a ever-fresh charm on them so they would remain good for the week. 

“You know, I am a grown man who can cook for himself.” He got up and took a blueberry muffin from the stand and went back to the table, giving his tea a stir before finishing the brew. Hermione got the tea pot and poured him another cup, fixing it the way he liked before making her own cup. 

“And I can make my own tea.” He smirked, non the less. No one had done nice things for him since Lily had died, and it was hard living a life where no one cared about you or your wellbeing. Sure, there were some professors in Hogwarts and in University while he got his mastery, but they only ever called him into office hours, not really helping him with his issues of abandonment and loneliness. He knew that the girl in front of him would never see him as more than just a mentor, but he still could pretend that they were friends. It was selfish, he knew but he needed to be able to have some kind of friendship in his life. The idea that he didn’t want his name released from her lips outside of the house was more to save her, especially if her and the Weasley boy were fighting like cats and dogs. 

He watched as she danced around the kitchen, placing dated labels on the containers and putting them in his freezer, taking the empty containers and sending them back to her kitchen. His own mother hadn’t cooked for him since he was a small boy, often preferring to use their limited food for his glutton of a father. The man ate them out of house and home, and drank all their money away. Severus learned how to either steal food out of trash cans, beg, or to find food from the woods near his home. His meals often were wild mushrooms and watercress, with old chips pulled from the local shop dumpsters. When he was 11, during the summers, the local fish and chips shop owner took pity on him and gave him a job, and he went home full of fried haddock and potato. The money he made was controlled by the owner, after Severus had pleaded with him not to give him a paycheck. 

The man had taken Severus to a bank, opened an account with the boy and his paychecks were being pit there. Severus was the only person who could take money from the account and eventually he had moved up from simply wrapping up orders to running part of the office. He had made enough to buy a used car, and he had the shop owner held him pick out a car, which he kept at the man’s house, knowing his father would pawn it for booze if he knew Severus had his own car. That car had come in handy when he moved out of Cokesworth to London to get his mastery. He still went to the shop from time to time, often jumping behind the line when it got too busy for the new hires to handle. He would wrap orders while they took them, and the owner would laugh, clapping the younger man on the shoulder, before trying to press money into his pockets for his work. 

“Hermione, do you want to go out for lunch today?” Severus spoke without thinking, and regretted it when she turned around, shocked. 

“I mean… We’ve never… I would love to.” Hermione took her tea and came to sit opposite him at the table. 

“I can understand if you would prefer not to go with me, Hermione.” Severus picked at what was left of his muffin. 

“I would love to go. I just wasn’t expecting you to suggest that we not make something here. Did you have a place in mind?” 

“I did actually. There’s a shop, walking distance from here, called Don’s fish market. I used to work there when I was a boy. I haven’t been in a very long time and I would like to see the owner.” 

“Of course I would love to go. Are you and the owner still close?” 

“Somewhat. He sends me a Christmas card every year and I send him pills that help his arthritis. He helped me a lot in my childhood. He gave me food at night and helped me buy my first car.” 

“You can drive?” 

“Oh yes. I have a Vauxhall Corsa in my garage right now, in fact. Don, the man who runs the shop, taught me how to drive, he helped me build a savings account, helped me learn how to run a business. The business part came after I left Hogwarts, mind you.” 

“There is so much about you that no one will ever know.” Hermione waved her wand and a scone came off the stand and into her hand. 

“I am a very private man, I always have been.” He sat up in his seat and sighed. “But we must finish here and make our way to the lab to fill the rest of the orders and perhaps do some experimentation before we can go anywhere.” 

He waved his wand to clean up the kitchen and the pair went into the basement to work on the orders that had backed up over the past week. Hermione followed him down to the lab, still nibbling on her scone. Severus sat at his desk, doling out the orders to their respective folders. Hermione took the folder that was marked as important, moving to the table she usually worked at. St. Mungo’s had ordered 5 cratefuls of fever reducer and 4 crates of stomach soother. They tried to get the hospital order done first before everything else, in order to keep them as a client. 

They were hoping that they would get their patient approved in the next week or so, in order for them to start the sale of their new skin soothing balm. St. Mungo’s was begging them for a balm for the past month, but Severus was dead set on the idea that public venders like the shops in the apothecaries in places like Diagon Alley, so that businesses like his would have the chance to flourish and make money. 

Hermione knew from listening to Severus rant about private venders, bumping up prices on products and ingredients that he needed. He needed to buy things like Jabberknoll parts and unicorn livers. They were rare ingredients, sure, but private venders were doubling and tripling prices every other week. 

She flipped open the folder on the table, puling out the order slip so she didn’t make too much of the potion. Severus had a policy that there was not to be any extra potion laying around that was to be made for his clients. Severus made his own potions for the house, so Hermione had to be careful to not make too much. 

Lighting a fire under her cauldron, she dumped in the first ingredients into the heating cauldron, not noticing Severus watching her over the edge of his book. 

*S*S*

Hermione waited for Severus to change out of his cloak, keeping his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She was excited to see where he had gotten his start as an independent person. He reached into his side table for his wallet, tucking it into his back pocket, slipping his feet into his comfortable dress shoes. 

“Are you ready to go?” He moved to the front door and unlocked the door, before he threaded his wand into the holder on his left arm. 

“Yes, I am.” She took her bag off the hook and slung it across her body, checking to make sure that she had her wallet. 

He held open the front door for her, locking the door behind them with a wave of his hand. “Come, and stick close to me until we get off Spinner’s End.” 

“Is everything alright?” 

“Not on this street. There is a gang of boys that try to mug young women who walk around unaccompanied. They have very little to do here, other than ride their bikes and try to run over cats and things like that. They used to try to attack my mother on occasion.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Is she alright now?” 

“Yes, for the most part. She lives in Liverpool now, after my father died, I moved her there to be with a support group for domestic abuse survivors.” Severus turned down the street at the corner of his, looking both ways before he lead her across to the next street down. 

“How far away is this?” Hermione looked around and noticed that the area was completely different than Spinner’s End. 

“Not too much farther, actually. One more street down.” Severus moved across the road one more time, walking past a stretch of river that was far less dirty than the river that ran behind his home. On the right of the river, there was a smallish restaurant with a medium sized sign, emblazon with the name Don’s Fish Market. 

“Here we are,” Severus held the door open for her once again, and as soon as they were seen by the staff inside, there was an uproar from a larger man inside. 

“Ahhhh Severus!” He surged forward, launching himself at the younger man, pulling the man into his arms. “Why have you not been around?” 

“I’ve been working on my business, Don, you know that.” Severus stepped back from the older man, smoothing his white shirt. 

“I know you are. We are very proud of you, my boy.” Don clapped Snape on the shoulder and led him to a booth, leaving Hermione to follow. When she reached the table, Don turned and laughed. 

“Oh ho, Severus, you brought a young woman today? She’s lovely, I’m sure!” 

“Oh, sir, I’m not…” 

“Don’s she’s not my girlfriend. She’s my business partner.” 

Hermione smirked. She knew that he was just saying that in order to make it easier to explain why she was there, but somewhere deep down in her was hoping that he would one day offer that for real. 

“Either way, lovely all the same. Would you like the usual, Severus?” 

“Yes, please.” He and Hermione sat down. “Hermione, here should see a menu.” 

“That’s alright. I’ll have what Severus is having. If he’s eating it, it must be good.” 

Don nodded. “And two pints?” He wrote shorthand on a small pad of paper. 

“Why not?” Severus shrugged, which was very unlike him, but he did nonetheless. 

As Don was starting to walk away, a girl’s voice chimed from the front of the store. “Mr. Lewis? I can’t get this receipt to print!” 

Don sighed and turned to the voice, his head shaking. “Emma, I’ll be right there.” 

Severus stood up. “Don, take care of something else, I’ll help her.” He walked behind the counter and began to explain to the girl how to refill the printing reel, and Hermione watched him. She was amazed by his patience with this young girl, no older than 15, who just seemed to not be able to get the hang of the cash register. She had never seen him so caring, and she had to wonder if he was like this all the time. 

He then took the time to show her a faster way to wrap to go orders, shocking Hermione even further. When he finally got back to their table, her jaw was nearly on the floor. 

“Close your mouth, Miss Granger or you’ll catch flies.” He slid back into the booth he had been sitting on, taking a sip of the beer that had just been brought to the table. 

“I’ve never seen you so, so nice before.” 

“Believe it or not, I do have a kind side. She needed help. She actually just started two days ago.” Severus took another sip. “I’ve been in her shoes before.” 

“What do you mean?” she toyed with her pint, trying not to pry too deep. 

“Miss Granger-“ 

“Hermione.” She corrected. 

“Hermione look around you. This neighborhood is not exactly the most forgiving. It hasn’t been forgiving in the last 30 years. As soon as the mill shut down, there was very little work, and the jobs that became available were hard to keep and hard to get. My father worked for a shipyard after his job making cars was replaced with machines. Then the factory itself was stopped. But, regardless, when I worked here, I was terrified that I would be fired for one mistake. I needed this job at the time, and moving up the ladder, like I did, was nearly unheard of.” 

Hermione nodded. “I can understand,” She mumbled.

“How? Last I checked, your parents were wealthy dentists.” 

Hermione smiled. “Not many people know about this actually. When I was very young, like 3 to 4 years old, my parents were still getting their doctorates. I was not planned, mind you, and I don’t think my parents truly wanted kids. But nevertheless, I was born, and my parents were still living on a student budget, going to school and trying to raise me. Often, I would be left alone while they worked and went to class, or my grandmother would take me. We lived in a one bedroom apartment, on the dole and most of our money went to my parents education.” She laughed. “When I was old enough to go to the library by myself, I practically lived there, and the librarians took me to programs and they fed me.

“When I was 6 or 7, we had enough money to move, and that’s when we moved to the house my parents live in now. But I was not raised with a lot of money. Even when my parents had money, we lived very cheaply, my mother often bought day old bread and canned soups. She’s the one who taught me to freeze all the left overs so they don’t spoil.” 

Severus looked at her over the lip of his mug, his eyebrows up. “I had no idea. Why did you not say anything to any of the staff at Hogwarts? Do your friends know?” 

“No, they don’t. I don’t feel like they need to know. It’s not a point of pity. My parents did what they had to do, and I came out alright. I’m smart, because I have to be. I am making a life for myself, because I don’t want any children that I might have to live how I once had to. That’s why I got my degree before marriage. My parents didn’t have the choice. My grandparents made them get married and my mother wasn’t able to have an abortion. She had too much guilt over it. My Bubbee lived through the Holocaust and he wanted to see grandchildren in his lifetime and she wanted to make sure that happened.” 

“I’m sorry, did you say Bubbee?” 

“Yes, I’m Jewish. Didn’t you know?” 

“No I didn’t.” They moved their arms off the table as Don came over with their food. They both nodded their thanks before turning back to the conversation at hand. 

“Yes, my family on both sides are Jewish. I’m Polish on my mother’s side and German and on my father’s. My parents were born in England and so was I but my Grandparents on both sides were not.” 

“That’s fascinating, are they still alive?” 

“My grandparents? Yes, they are.” Hermione laughed. “Reminding me everyday that they aren’t getting younger and that they want great-grandchildren to spoil. I’m seeing them for the high holidays in September. If you don’t mind, I will need that weekend off.” 

“You don’t have to ask me for holidays off. Just write them on the calendar and I’ll make sure to look.” 

“Thank you,” Hermione looked out the window. “When I was small, I asked my Bubbee why we were Jewish. I asked him why he fought so hard for me to go to Hebrew school, and why they paid for my classes. When I was old enough to understand what money was, I told him I didn’t want to be Jewish anymore, if that saved him from paying for my education. I went to an all Jewish school, mind you.” She absently rubbed her left cheek. “It was the only time he’s ever laid a hand on me. I understand now, why it’s so important for him, for us, but at 5 years old, I didn’t know what horrors my family had faced.” 

She turned to face him once more. “I’m sorry I’m laying all this on you.” 

“Don’t be sorry.” He dipped his fried fish in the sauce provided. “Am I the first you’ve told of all this?” 

“Yes, actually. I have always felt like my religion is something I should hide. My parents always made sure I had a working passport, in case we had to leave. My grandfather always told me to be fearful of those who were not Jewish. I found it was easier when I was not in Jewish spaces to pretend that I was not Jewish. I never told them that I felt that way.” 

“I could understand why you don’t want them to know, if they had fought for some much.” 

“I love it now, but then I didn’t. And I don’t really celebrate the holidays like I used to. Now, I celebrate Rosh Hashana with them, but I don’t do much else. Being at Hogwarts made that hard.” 

“There is more to you than I think anyone ever guessed, isn’t there?” Severus smiled a little, taking another bite of his food. 

*S*S*

Britney sat on the plastic chair of St. Mungo’s, waiting for her name to be called for her appointment to see her OBGYN. She hadn’t seen a proper doctor since she came back from her internship, relaying on the potions that Severus had sent her to keep her healthy until she could get checked up on. She hated the wait, but she needed more birth control and while she was content taking potions illegally from the owner of prince potions, she knew she needed to see a professional. 

She had already been to her doctor, and she had found that her iron was low, which made sense. Severus was her pharmacist, and he was already sent to script for what she needed. Her dental visit had been normal and her neurologic healer had told her that her migraines were under control. Now she just needed a check up from her healer here and she would be done. 

She hated the OBGYN. There were always pregnant women in the office, and while she didn’t care that they were pregnant, she did care that they looked at her like she was a bit of a failure. She wasn’t pregnant and she didn’t have a child with her, and they assumed, and they were correct that she didn’t have any children. But, it still bothered her when she got looks from these mothers. 

She shifted. The seats were unforgiving and cold. Britney was convinced that they were uncomfortable so you were more eager to go see your doctor. She picked up an out of date witch weekly, flipping through the recipes and hot or not lists with distaste. The magazine was trash, but she still read it, for merlin knows what reason. Hell, she even paid for it to be delivered to her house, but she hadn’t read them since she got back from Iceland. 

Her ears perked when the door to the office opened and a blonde woman walked into the room, holding her purse close to her stomach. Britney zoned out when she checked in but was steadily getting annoyed with the woman as she rubbed her belly and giggled to herself. She shook her head and tried to ignore the woman, who was getting louder, as If she tried to get more and more attention on her. When Britney looked at her, she noticed the woman didn’t look pregnant, but she was seemingly convinced to be pregnant. She shuffled in her seat, pulling the magazine back up in front of her face, trying to block out the annoying woman. Once again, the door opened, and Britney was unable to not look, but her magazine shot right up when the person she least expected to come in, walked in and sat next to the annoying woman. 

*S*S*

Hermione laid her money down on the table, ready to pay for her half of lunch, only for Severus to ball up her money and toss it back at her. 

“Excuse me,” Hermione unwrinkled the bill and straightened it out, trying to lay it back onto the bill. 

“Your money is no good here,” Don walked over and snatched the bill off the table, stuffing his own money into the bill and bringing it to the waitress to put in the till. “Severus, you know I don’t let you pay here.” 

“But you cannot blame me for trying?” Severus put his own money back in his wallet, and tucked it into his back pocket again. 

“No, I can’t, but I also need you to not.” He laughed, tucking the bill folder into his apron pocket. Hermione put her own money back into her wallet and stuffed it into her purse, zipping it shut. 

“Come back as soon as you like,” Don walked back into his office. Severus waited a few minutes before walking up to the young girl he had helped earlier, stuffing money from his wallet into her hand. 

“A tip,” He let the corner of his mouth rise up a little before he let go of her hand and left, placing one hand on Hermione’s shoulder to lead her out. Once they were out of the store, he let go of her, but her shoulder still burned from where he had been touching her. For some reason, she found herself thinking about his hands. They were calloused, with tough palms from years of working hands on. His fingers were long and slim, with the nails on each finger trimmed neatly. His skin was pale, but there was light staining on the sides of his fingers. She looked at her own, wondering if one day they were to become his. She figured that wasn’t so bad. 

The pair made quick work of going back to Spinner’s End, with Hermione coming closer to Snape when the children came flying by on their bikes, and Severus found that he wasn’t bothered by it too much. He knew they would never be more than co-workers, but he could pretend they were friends, and that wasn’t overstepping boundaries. 

Opening the front door, Severus waited until Hermione stepped into the foyer and hung her bag up, before shutting and locking the door. He moved across the room, sitting heavily in his armchair, tossing his wallet into the table drawer next to him. 

“I’m going to head on downstairs and finish the stomach soother we have on right now.” She quietly opened the door, slipping down the stairs and softly shutting the door behind her. Severus could hear her footsteps moving down the stairs before they faded away. He was always wiped after going to see Don, as it brought back the memories of being poor and abused. Don was always there for him in ways that no adult had ever been before, and he always felt he had something to owe Don, even thought the older man had never asked that of him. Severus tried to go to see the man once a week, for that was the most amount of time he could spend with him at once. When he went alone, Don would sit with him and have a pint, or have a meal, but with Hermione there, he had a much easier time, with the owner leaving him alone for the most part.

*S*S*

Britney watched as the woman and man were called in before her, her face bright red, not from embarrassment but in anger. How dare he do this? She was ready to storm into the room they just were in and kick him from one end of the room to the other, She had no clue how she was going to tell the proper parties, or if she should keep it to herself, But there was, in fact, no way to actually keep it to herself. 

Britney was conflicted, and she had so much distraction now, she didn’t even care that her bottom was falling asleep on the hard plastic chair or that the words in the magazine she held were 4 months old. She just cared about the effects of Ronald Weasley cheating. 

And she had no idea how to tell Hermione.

*S*S*

Hermione sat on the couch, drinking a steaming cu of jasmine tea, with Severus to her right, his leather notebook on his lap as he scribbled down the notes from the day. They had completed another experiment and were moving swiftly toward the experimentation phase, which excited Hermione to the fullest extent. Severus had already told her that he had planned on writing her in again as a creator, making her a creator of 2 potions, which was almost unheard of in the potions world. 

The night before, Severus had gotten notice that their potion had been approved, and they were going to start work on the distribution of the product to apothecaries all over the Wizarding World. Hermione was now going to be getting more money shoveled into her bank account, which made her so happy. She was going to be able to have her dream home far sooner than she ever thought she would be able to do. She took a sip of her tea, her left hand lazily petting Dover, who was very excited that they were actually sitting in the living room. 

Severus had been a little distant all day, but she wasn’t too worried. He was a very closed off man, and she just assumed that he was having some time to himself. After all, they had a strange heart to heart that day, which Hermione had never thought that they would have. If Hermione was honest with herself, that was the closest the two had ever come to friendship. She had realized at lunch that she wanted nothing more than to be his friend, and she was willing to do nearly anything to make sure he knew she supported him. After all, she had saved him from life in Azkaban. Although, he didn’t seem to be too thrilled with them about that. 

A rapping on the window broke through her thoughts. Severus waved his wand without looking, allowing the owl at the window to fly in and drop a mail card on her lap. 

“What the..” Hermione flipped the card over, seeing that it was from a witch weekly magazine. 

“Who is it from?” Severus barely looked at her, still scribbling in his notebook. 

“My friend, Britney. She wants to get dinner. But she sent me this on a Witch Weekly send away card. You know, the ones you use when you want to subscribe to the magazine. That’s odd.” 

“Are you going to respond?” 

“I guess so,” Hermione opened the table beside her and dug around for a quill. Severus extended his to her, allowing her to scribble her conformation, sending the owl back to wherever it came from. 

“Why would she send me a letter on a send away card?” she was confused but she guessed that she would be able to ask her about it during their dinner together. She handed the quill back to her employer.

“Well, back to the issue at hand. What do you think went wrong today?” 

“I think that we added the Jabberknoll parts too soon, and they reacted poorly with the leeches that were already stewing.” She bit her lip. “And I think the temperature was too high.” 

“Exactly what I was thinking.” 

She watched him make a note in his book before closing it and tucking it into his desk. 

“Tomorrow,” he started, “I want to restart this. I want to make sure that we get this done in the next month or so. It doesn’t do to fall to obscurity in this field.” He sat on the couch next to her, leaving 2 cushions between them. 

“What do you mean?” 

“This field is based off of progress. There is always something that can be improved, always something that can be invented. Spells, potions, equipment. Everything is updateable. Our job is to find those things and bring attention to them. This is why I create my own spells, my own potions. All the potions that stock to hospital wing at Hogwarts? I tweaked every one that’s there. I made them stronger and more gentle on the stomach. I made a Dreamless sleep that is not addictive. I made a skelgrow that doesn’t task like dung, but I have yet to market that. You can only get it in Hogwarts. I have made healing spell after healing spell, charms and curses. This is why I was so important to the Dark Lord. I had the ability to do what he could not. The only thing I failed at was keeping him from coming back in the first place.” 

“So,” she scratched the cat behind the ears. “What does that mean for me?” 

*S*S* 

Britney kept her head down when the woman and Ron walked out of the room, their eyes puffy and red. She tuned into their conversation, trying to understand why she was here. 

“I don’t understand! Everything pointed to me being pregnant!” she wiped her eyes with a tissue that Ron handed to her. 

“I know, but we can try again. The healer did say you were fertile.” 

Britney saw red, her anger reaching the boiling point. She lowered her magazine as Ron passed her, letting him see her whole face. He knew her, and she knew he would be rattled knowing that someone close to his girlfriend knew of his cheating. 

When he noticed her looking at him, his already pale face got paler and he quickly ushered the woman out of the office. 

*S*S*

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean,” Hermione looked at him. “I am so by the book. And the only reason that I have been even minorly successful is because I have you basically holding my hand and leading me to the answers. I have no creativity of my own. I’m going to fall to obscurity like Slughorn did.” 

“What are you going on about?” Severus gave her a look. “You have creativity. You basically created the last potion by yourself. I helped you over the speedbumps, yes, but you took the reigns. Didn’t you notice that I was following your instructions? You need to learn, and by me telling you what to do, you won’t. I had to learn on my own. Slughorn refused to teach me to experiment. I ended up blowing up the kitchen several times before I turned 19.” 

“You did?” Hermione could not imagine Severus Snape being a failure, or even having a failure. 

“Of course. My mother was not happy. I think the wooden spoon in the kitchen still has a dent in it from where she hit my head.” 

Hermione giggled. She had never seen Severus so open in one day. Even when she was trying to build him a good case in court, he refused to be helpful, but now, he was reassuring her of her worst fear? What had happened to Severus Snape? 

*S*S*

Hermione walked into the restaurant, looking for her friend, her hands smoothing down her skirt as she walked. Britney had been busy lately and it was nice to see her friend, and with the two of them working, it was getting harder and harder to find time to see each other. Once she found her, the bushy haired girl, made a beeline for the fellow potioneer, ready to catch up. 

“Hey Brit!” Hermione sat down and the former flagged down a waiter so they could order drinks. 

“Hey ‘Mione.” Britney reached out and took her friend’s hand. “You know I love you, right?” 

“Of course, what’s going on?” 

“You know that I would never lie to you, right?” Britney was trying to buy time for their drinks to come, knowing her friend would be reaching for a glass of chilled white wine as soon as she got the news. 

“Of course. You’re starting to worry me, what’s going on?” Hermione sipped the wine that had just been brought to the table. 

“Okay, you cannot get upset, we are in public. Alright? So today, I saw- Oh bloody hell!” 

“What?” Hermione turned to see her boyfriend walking into the restaurant, hand in hand with Lavender Brown. “What the fuck?” 

“Okay Hermione, I had no idea they were going to come here tonight. Ron, as you can see, is cheating on you.” She let the words fall out in a rush and right on schedule, Hermione gulped her wine. 

“How did you find out?” Hermione’s voice was shaky, like she was trying not to cry. 

“I was at the OBGYN and they came in. They thought the woman he’s with now was pregnant. She’s not, but he told her they can try again. He said something to the tune of ‘the healer said you were fertile’” She made air quotes for the last bit. 

“Her name is Lavender Brown. They dated when we were in our 6th year at Hogwarts.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I just can’t believe he did this!” She wiped her eyes with her napkin, taking another sip once she put the clothe down. 

“I know babe.” She waved down the waiter again for more wine and an Italian sampler meal for two. She knew that Hermione loved Italian food, and she always complained that she and Ron only went where he wanted to go, so Britney was surprised that Ron took this Lavender girl to an Italian restaurant. 

“I’m not hungry anymore.” Hermione drained her first glass and poured a second. 

“I know, but with how you’re pulling wine, and with how I think you’ll be drinking tonight, you need to eat something.” Britney looked across the restaurant, seeing that Ron and Lavender had been placed right in their line of sight. “Merlin’s sweaty balls…” 

Hermione followed her line of sight and laid her forehead in her hand. “This is so bad. Why did they have to come here? Why couldn’t he, you know, not cheat?” 

“Babe, if I had all the answers, I would help.” Britney pushed some water into her hand. 

“You know, Severus told me that if he makes me feel like garbage, he’s not worth it. I guess he was right.” She snorted a bitter laugh into her glass. She drank about half the water and then set it down. “How should I break up with him? I obviously can’t stay with him.” 

“No, you can’t. He and Lavender deserve each other. There is no way she didn’t know you two were still together though. It’s just not possible.” 

“Either way, what’s done is done.” Hermione was so confused. “You know, he’s been upset ever since I got the job with Severus. I bet that’s when the cheating started.” 

“I don’t know, Hermione. She was convinced she was pregnant. Either they got really lucky or he’s been seeing her for longer.” 

Britney looked over and saw Ron reach out to take Lavender’s hands, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. He then picked her hands up and kissed them repeatedly, looking at her like she was the most perfect woman in the world. 

Hermione was also watching, with tears brimming in her eyes. “I never thought I would be the type to cry over a boy.” She scoffed. “Fucking knob.” She muttered. 

Britney had seen enough. She pulled out a muggle pen and a small piece of paper, scribbling down a message. When the waiter came over with their food and two plates, she handed it over to him, asking for it to be delivered to the redhead and his mistress. 

*S*S* 

Ron hadn’t been happier. Not in the last near seven months. Ever since Hermione had been pressuring him to start saving for a house, he had been feeling trapped. But he liked being with her, but he didn’t want anything super serious. When he bumped into Lavender on the street in Diagon alley, they hit it off. Neither wanted a serious relationship, and if Hermione never found out, it would be perfect? She didn’t even seem to like having sex with him either. Lavender liked having sex with him and hell, she wanted to have sex with him all the time. He wasn’t surprised when she told him the first time she thought she was pregnant. 

Then there was a false alarm, and then another and then today, that was the third. He should have been more careful, but after the second alarm, he realized he might actually want to have a baby. Hermione would never say yes. But Lavender, she was different. 

The two looked up when a waiter passed by, handing Ron a note, and then leaving. Ron was confused, but opened it anyways. 

Ron, 

I hope you’re fucking happy with yourself. I hope she’s everything you want and more, because she is nothing compared to Hermione. You messed up. And you’ll never get her back. You deserve each other. 

Fuck you, you cheating scum, 

Britney

PS. Tell Lavender she ruined a nearly 4 year relationship, just in case she didn’t know. Maybe then she’ll get a conscience. 

Ron went to crumple the note, but Lavender snatched it and started to read, her eyebrows going further and further into each other. 

“Who the hell is this Britney girl? And no shit, I know about Hermione. But, she is nothing compared to me. Either way, I’m actually trying to give you what you want, which is a family. She cares more about herself now than you. I mean, you said it yourself, she works more than she sees you. She should be grateful that I’m taking over her responsibilities as your girlfriend, well at least the physical parts.” 

“Apparently Britney doesn’t see it that way…” 

“Well, who is she anyways?” 

“She’s Hermione’s best friend from University. She saw us at the OBGYN today.” 

“So, she’s going to tell Hermione?” 

“I doubt it. She probably sent me this note to rattle me, like to make me come clean.” 

*S*S* 

Hermione tried to put her money on the table, at least for the wine she had drank, but Britney picked it up and stuffed it in her purse. 

“No, you’re not allowed. This is my treat.” 

“You know what I wanna do right now?” 

“What?” the two walked out into the night air, walking down Diagon Alley arm in arm. Hermione wasn’t drunk, but she was a little warm, and she made quick steps toward the bank. 

“I want to close out that account I have with Ron. I’ve been shoveling all my money into that account. He can technically forge my signature and take out my money. 

Britney followed Hermione up the stairs, slipping through the doors a few minutes before close. The pair approached the desk, Hermione waving her wand as they went, the paperwork for the account in her hand. 

“Hello, I would like to close my account.” She handed the goblin at the desk the papers, who read them over. 

“Do you have your key?” 

“Of course!” She handed over the key as well. 

“Do you have a second account with us to transfer the money into?” The goblin looked down his hooked nose at her. 

“I do,” With a flick of her wrist, the papers for her personal account in her hand. 

The goblin walked away with the papers, going to the grated off area that was prohibited to the public. The two waited together, shifting their weight from foot to foot. 

After 30 minutes, the goblin came over with her papers, handing over the paperwork and her receipt with the amount of money in her account printed on the bottom. 

As they walked out, Hermione looked over her receipt. “I never realized that I had nearly 2,500 galleons in my account. I’m glad I took all that out before he could get to it.” 

“Let’s get you home, yeah?” Britney took hold of her elbow, apparating her into her living room. “Give me a ring tomorrow after you get out of work, or come and see me in my cubicle if you have time.” 

“I will.” She hugged her friend goodbye, before going into the kitchen to feed Crookshanks. 

“Oh Crooks, what am I going to do?” She pet the feline as he ate before she made up her mind. Getting to the fireplace, she tossed floo powder in and shouted her destination. 

She stepped out in the living room of one of the most familiar places to her now and stared Severus Snape in the face, as two tears slipped down her cheeks. 

“Ron cheated on me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update so soon? Don’t be too mad at me, I had to get rid of Ron somehow! 
> 
> So, Hermione’s narrative is similar to mine. I’m a jewish woman, and although I never went to Hebrew school, the rest of her story is very similar to mine. I always identified with Hermione as being Jewish, because of her hair and some other things. Her religion isn’t going to take over the story, but it was a little detail I wanted to add. 
> 
> Thank you for all your support! 
> 
> Lots of love, 
> 
> Erectopatronum


	6. Conferences and confrontation

“Ron cheated on me.”

Severus stood up from the armchair, leaving his tea behind. As he approached her, she broke down, and her knees began to buckle. Severus reached her just in time, wrapping his arms around her waist and helping her lower to the ground. He sat with her, letting her bury her face in his shoulder, soaking the fabric of his shirt in the process. He had done this for Lily once, in their fourth year, Joey Carlson had broken it off with her after four months. She had been devastated and he sat with her for hours, under the willow tree by the lake, giving her the support, she needed.

He had never seen her cry like this though, even after the war, even at the funerals, there was no real loss of control. But over a boy?

Hermione eventually came around and allowed him to lead her from the floor to the couch. She slid down the cushions to lay down, her face pressed into the seat. He had no idea what to do with her, her face a mess of snot and makeup bleeding down her cheeks. He tutted and went to the bathroom, getting a wet flannel and dabbing the eyeliner and nose run off away, leaving behind clean abet red skin.

“There, that’s better. Now, sit up and we’re going to talk about this calmly.” He tossed the flannel into the laundry,

She slowly pulled herself up, and with shaking hands, she pulled her tear soaked curls up into a haphazard bun. “I’m sorry I came here, sir. I didn’t want to make you take care of me, not like this.”

“Miss GRa- Hermione, it is no matter to me. In fact, I would rather you came here, than laying on your own living room floor, wallowing. Now, what happened?”

“Ro-o-o-on and Lavender Brown have be-en seeing each other be-hi-nd my back!” she sobbed, trying to catch her breath.

“Shhhh, it’s alright.” He nearly reached out and took her hand, like he did with Lily years before.

“No, it’s not! I’m not upset with the ch-eat-ing, I’m upset that I have been wasting my ti-me…” She took a shuddering breath and wiped her face with her fingers.

“Well that is a healthier view than most girls have.” He got up. “Do you want anything? Tea, wine, something stronger?”

“Tea, if you don’t mind. I already had more wine than I usually drink.” She sniffed, and was startled when Severus handed her a handkerchief.

“Clean yourself up and join me in the kitchen.” Severus didn’t wait for her to get up before he moved to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

Hermione went into the bathroom, blowing her nose and wiping her face. She had never lost control like this, and she needed to get her control back. She knew why she came her e, but she couldn’t believe she had actually done it.

She closed the door of the bathroom behind her, and walked slowly into the kitchen, willing herself not to cry on the way there. She hated crying. IT made her eyes hurt and her nose burn , and she always got a runny nose. She hadn’t cried like this since she had to obliviate her parents, and she hated crying over a boy.

Severus had just taken the kettle off and poured the hot water into mugs with tea bags already in place. He had chocolate biscuits on a plate and some other snacks. Hermione had to laugh a little. He was trying to comfort her, but he wasn’t quite sure how.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I just pulled everything.” He gestured to the seat across from him, encouraging her to help herself. She took a sip of her tea, tasting the chamomile and the calming draught he had put in. She wasn’t surprised, and if he hadn’t put any in, she would have asked for one.

“Now, tell me everything.”

So Hermione told him of the doctor visit and the dinner date, the note and all the ideas of when the cheating had started, and the closing of the house fund.

“You don’t think I acted too harse, right? I mean, I could have talked to him first, or…”

Severus cut her off with his hand. “No, you’re starting to sound like my mother. Do not take the blame for this. Do not go back to him and for the love of all that is holy, do not give him power over you. You had your cry. It’s over, and now you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and be better.”

“What do you mean, be better?”

“You told me he’s dating Lavender Brown now? Okay, that’s fine. You don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy. Now, he’s working with his brother, not really making a life of his own?” Severus took a drink. “You are the senior undersecretary to the minister of magic, the very job Percy Weasley was seeking at the same time you were given the promotion. Historically, when the minister steps down, the undersecretary is endorsed by the ministry to become the next minister. You could very well be the next minister. And, you have a mastery.”

“Two, actually.” Hermione smiled weakly.

“Yes, I nearly forgot you have two masteries!” He smiled a little. “Hermione, you have so much more to offer, and pardon me if I say it, Ronald Weasley is not the person for you. You need to break it off and move on.”

“This is why I came here. You tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.” She drained her mug and replaced the teabag, pouring another cup. With a smirk, she snagged two chocolate biscuits, stuffing one whole into her mouth. She covered her mouth with one hand, to keep the crumbs from spilling out onto the table top. Severus smirked and stirred a spoonful of honey into his tea, something he did at night when he was trying to relax.

He was glad Hermione came to his home instead of wallowing in her home, crying for hours. He knew from experience that he helped no one, and he would lay in bed on the weekends while he was teaching, staring at the ceiling, eating nothing, doing nothing, hoping that he would not be summoned by the Dark Lord that day.

There were days that he was given a bit of a break, but there were some days where he would get to his quarters to only be called again, to go out and to have to join in a revile or to promise to make a complicated potion. She was as emotionally drained as he was then, and he would hate to see her go through it alone, though he could not place why.

Hermione herself, knew why she had come to see her old professor turned employer, rather than her friends, or at least she thought she knew. He would be blunt, almost to the point of rude, but he wouldn’t try to sugar coat it. He would tell her what she needed to know, making sure she understood. Her friends, Britney, Ginny and even Harry would tell her how sorry they are, and how they were here to support her. She needed to here that she would be okay without Ron, and that she was a good person.

Ron had taken from her something she had held so dear, and it was her ability to be emotionally independent. She could see that she had been the first to apologize, she was the one to plan, the one to pick, the one to care. He had not real interest being with her other than it being comfortable. With Lavender, he was able to get everything from her that Hermione was not willing to compromise. Lavender was willing to put her life on hold to have children and play wife, but Hermione knew she had so much more to give the world before she could be a mother.

She wished that Ron had just told her his feelings. She would have taken it better if he had told her that he was feeling something for another woman or that he wanted to break up. He thought it could have both. But Hermione was not going to sit around and be played .

Reaching for a third biscuit, Hermione dunked it in her new cup, before popping it into her mouth. Severus was watching her still, and she knew It was because she had a full blown meltdown the hour before. He knew she was alright now, but in the coming weeks, she would have a hard time ahead of her. He knew, not only from Lily and her boyfriend breaking up with her, but with his mother and the women his father brought home from the bar.

_11 year old Severus sat on the threadbare and molding coach, his transfiguration book open on the cushion next to him. His mother was in the kitchen, chopping the few vegetables they had in preparation for soup. She had bought a small chicken the day before, and had already cooked it. The house was smelling better with the broth and spices slowly boiling, and while his stomach was beginning to rumble, he knew he would not be eating that meal. _

_He would leave, putting his book in the threadbare satchel he had, not wanting to bring his nice school bag out into Cokesworth. Most likely, he would go through garbage cans and dumpsters, or go to the little grove by the river where the edible mushrooms grew and he would make his own soup, using whatever he found and water from his neighbor’s hose. He had a few dented pots and pans hidden in the shed in his backyard, under the workbench that his father never used._

_As he packed his book and prepared to leave, his hunger moving him along, Before he could make it to the front door, it opened and he jumped into the shadows of the house as his father walked into the room. Behind him was a woman, drunk as he was, and they made their way upstairs, the woman giggling. Severus walked back from the curtains and into the kitchen, looking at his mother who had the knife in her hand held tightly. _

_“Severus, I don’t want you here while he is. Go see if Lily is around to play.” She tried to shoo him out the back door as his stomach let out a loud growl. She halted in her motion and reached into the breadbox. They never used it for bread, and as far as the boy knew there was nothing in the box, but when she opened it, there was a small bag with two sandwich rolls. Eileen made quick work of assembling a sandwich for the two of them, handing him on and a small glass of milk. _

_“Severus, I don’t want you to end up like your father. I want you to work hard, save your money and make sure that any girl you are with is treated well.” She patted his hand while he munched on the chicken sandwich. “Don’t make my mistakes.” _

_When the two were done, Eileen quickly washed the plates, hiding the evidence of their meal, before she resumed making the soup for her husband’s dinner. Severus assumed the woman he brought over would eat his mother’s portion, so he was glad she had made herself a sandwich as well. If he could find and make something that tasted well, he would have to bring some of it to her. _

_Severus was about to leave once more when his father came back downstairs, with the woman clinging to his hand. He watched as Tobias approached Eileen and shove her to the floor, taking up the ladle to serve himself and the woman a bowl of soup. _

_“No,” Eileen got up and snatched it from his hand. “I cannot stand by any longer. I will not have you feeding yourself and your hussies with the food I make while our son goes hungry. Not anymore. You will leave this house. The both of you.” Her weak voice grew stronger as she raised the ladle above her head as if to hit the man. _

_“Eileen, shut the fuck up. Go clan up the bedroom, Connie and I made quite the mess.” He kissed the woman’s neck. _

_“No, I will not. I’m done. I want a divorce.” _

_“A what?” _

_“A divorce. I’m done. I cant live like this anymore. Severus is starving, you’re an asshole and you’ve been cheating blatantly for years. I’m done. Severus,” she turned to him. “Go see if Lily is around to play.” _

_Severus didn’t have to be told twice. He didn’t know who would win the fight, but he didn’t think it was his mother. He wandered down the street, kicking a few pebbles. His parents fought all the time, either with harse words or fists. Lily’s parents weren’t like that. Mr. Evans never hit the children, he never brought women from the bar home and made messes with them in the bedroom, whatever that meant. He wanted a normal life, but he doubted he would ever have that. _

_Walking along the river, he passed the local fish restaurant. Don Lewis was a good man, but he hadn’t ever helped those people on spinner’s end. They were too dirty, too dishonest and too poor. But he left his dumpster unlocked, so Severus could eat as much as he wanted. It wasn’t too bad, if he didn’t think about it too much. _

_“Hey!” _

_Severus paused in opening the dumpster lid. He looked around and saw Don himself, standing in the doorway. “Me?” _

_“Yes, you. Get out of that dumpster and get your behind in here.” _

_Severus was ready for the slap that was bound to happen. All the adults on spinner’s end hit him. He was Tobias Snape’s son. A worthless man would have a worthless son after all. Instead, he was lead to a booth and a plate of fresh, steaming fish, chips and cold juice was placed before him. _

_“Now, why have I seen you rooting through my dumpster?” _

_Severus stared at the plate before him, his mouth watering. He had never seen so much fresh and good food before, except at the Evans house, where he felt awkward and dirty. He looked up at the man who wore a stained apron and a chef’s cap. _

_“My family doesn’t have a lot of money, sir. We can’t always afford food.” _

_“I thought as much. You’re the Snape boy, right?” _

_“Yes, sir.” Severus nodded, knowing that at any moment, he would get slapped or thrown out of the building. _

_“Eat up, boy!” Don pointed to the hot plate of food. “You shouldn’t have to eat out of my dumpster. Tell you what? I’m going to do you a favor. Come here, every day at 10am, and I’ll put you to work. You’ll make some money to put away, and I’ll feed you.” _

_Severus couldn’t believe his ears. A job? His father didn’t even have a good job. Hours were not regular, as they only worked when the freight ships came in to be unloaded. _

_“But sir,” Severus gulped. “My father will…” _

_“I see. You’re Tobias’ son, right?” _

_“Unfortunately, yes sir.” Severus ate a piece of fish with his fingers. Don reached over and unwrapped the fork and knife from the napkin, making Severus think he was going to get reprimanded for using his fingers. Rather, the napkin was handed to him, for him to wipe his fingers when he was done. _

_“I know how kids eat. I have a son and a daughter your age. They eat with their fingers too. Just wipe your hands after. Now, I think we can get you a bank account with your name and mine, and I’ll only put money in, and I’ll never take money out, without your permission.” _

_“Why are you being so nice to me, sir?” _

_Don reached over and ruffled his hair. “I don’t like seeing children be abused.” _

His parents didn’t get a divorce that day, or any of the days after. Instead, Tobias had walked out on the family, leaving Eileen and Severus when the latter was 12. Eileen got a job, working at the local drugstore fulltime, making enough money to fix up the house properly. Tobias would filter in and out, trying to hotwire Eileen’s car that her coworkers helped her buy. Severus would garage his car at Don’s shop or house after that when he bought his own at 16. Tobias would try when Severus was 15 to drain his bank account, which had, at that point about 2,000 pounds saved. Don, thankfully had been at the bank and stepped in, telling the tellers that Tobias was abusive and a thief, and therefore, the elder Snape had been banned from the property.

Tobias would die, having overdosed in his girlfriend’s house, when Severus was 18, just before he joined the death eaters. By then, the house on Spinner’s End had been paid off, with Severus and Eileen both paying bills, so Severus took ownership of the home and with Don’s help, Eileen was moved to Liverpool, away from the bad memories of her late husband. The last time Severus had seen her, she was seeing another domestic abuse survivor, a man named Jacob.

Hermione had moved from the kitchen to the living room, her legs curled up underneath her, her tea resting on her knee. Severus waved his wand and cleared up the kitchen, nearly breaking his leg on the chair when Hermione cried out.

“What in Merlin’s name is going on in here?” 

“My apartment!”

Severus looked at her, concerned. “What about it?”

“I want to close it off so Ron can’t get in, but I don’t know how. He knows my signature by now so he’ll be able to figure out any weaknesses.” Hermione was pacing the room, picking at her cuticles.

Severus pulled her hands apart, to keep her from making her hands bleed. “I know how to seal a floo and I can set wards so he can’t get in. I can do it if you want me to.” He tacked on the last bit in a hurry, trying not to step on her toes.

“Oh would you?” Hermione sighed with relief while Severus led her to the floo, landing on her living room rug.

While Severus roamed around the room, waving his wand and chanting, Hermione gathered any books that she wanted and wandered into her bedroom, her eyes roaming around the room, looking at all the traces of Ron. There were pictures on the wall, his robes hanging on the hook, and his side of the bed was mussed, as Hermione hadn’t made the bed since he had slept over.

With a wave of her wand, his robes vanished to his apartment, and a box appeared floating next to her, and everything that Ron had bought her and all pictures of the two of them landed in the box, the glass cracking. Wandering into her living room, she sorted through the books and discarded those she didn’t care about. After the apartment was stripped, the box was vanished and Hermione dropped to the floor, arms around her middle.

Severus finished the wards and sealing the floo from Ron before he turned around to pull her up to her feet. “We cannot shed tears for those who do not care for us.” The two returned to Spinner’s End, where Hermione resumed her place on the couch with her warmed tea.

“Severus,” Hermione looked at him with wide tear filled eyes. “What do I do?”

“Honestly, Hermione, I would advise you to break up with him. He isn’t worth this. And if he can date Lavender Brown behind your back, then he can piss off.” He took a sip from his mug.

“I can’t believe I was going to buy a house with him.” Hermione shook her head, and raised her mug when Dover jumped up on her lap with a chirp.

“You could always buy a home on your own.” Severus leaned back in his chair, looking at his assistant with kind eyes.

“I couldn’t. My apartment is okay for now, but I can’t buy a house on my own, not yet anyways. It doesn’t make sense for one girl and her cat to move into a large home just for themselves. My apartment is good enough for now, but I can save and prepare for the one day.” She sighed. “I just thought the one day would be here sooner by now.”

“That’s understandable,” He was sympathetic toward her, not having the best support system either.

“I just wonder how Harry and Ginny are going to take it. We thought that worst case he and I would be broken up and we would still be friends. But now, there is cheating that has been added to the mix. I cannot entertain the idea that he and I will be able to be friends or even friendly after all this. His mother is going to be so angry over all this. She’s been gunning since day one for Ron and I to be married and to have children. But, I can’t give up a career and my life so early. I don’t know, its hard.”

“I think you should take tomorrow and tell your friends and the Weasleys’ what happened. Perhaps, you could talk to Mr. Weasley and take care of everything. You need to end things to fully move on.”

“But I have to come here and work on our experiment…”

“No.” he shook his head. “You have to get your house in order. Take the time and go over everything you need to. Once everyone is informed, you may come back.”

Hermione nodded, looking a little downcast.

*S*S*

“Mrs. Weasley?” Hermione stepped out of the floo, into the Weasley kitchen. Molly was stirring a pot on the stove.

“Oh Hermione! I was just asking Ronnie about you! He’s upstairs with the twins, Ginny and Harry. Why don’t you head up there and see them? I know you work so much and-“

“Molly, I didn’t come as a social call. I’m coming to tell you that I have decided to end my relationship with Ron.”

“What? Why?” Molly came over, wiping the spoon from the pot on a rag as she crossed the room.

“He’s dating Lavender Brown now. Or rather, has been for the last 6 or 7 months. They’ve been trying to have a baby together.”

Molly’s face turned red, and she took a deep breath. “RONALD WEASLEY, GET YOUR BACKSIDE DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!”

Hermione tensed as there were hurried footsteps coming down the stairs. There were more than one set of steps, and as they got closer, the butterflies in her stomach turned into rabid wolves.

“What is it, Mum?” Ron came down the stairs and froze when he saw Hermione.

“You’re cheating on Hermione?” Molly raised her spoon and walloped him on the head.

Ginny ran down the stairs, confusion on her face. “Mum what’s going on?”

Hermione stepped over to four on the stairs and stepped up onto the bottom stair. “Ron’s been sleeping with Lavender Brown.”

Ginny looked at her with wide eyes. “For how long?”

“At least 6 months. My friend from Uni saw the two of the m at the OBGYN.”

Ginny looked at her brother, who was still getting his head whacked by their mother. “He’s so sleezy! Wait, why were they in the OBGYN?”

“He and Lavender are trying to have a baby.” A few tears slipped down her cheeks, prompting Ginny to use her thumbs to wipe them away. “Because I refused to.”

“No, you have your career in mind. You’re making a life for yourself and you’re trying to make a name for yourself.”

Ron finally got to turn around. “What the hell is going on, Hermione?”

Hermione pulled away from Ginny and wheeled around to face Ron. “What’s going on, is you dating Lavender and you dating and trying to have a baby. You were at the OBGYN with her and you were at Donahue’s last night with her! So, I’m done. We’re done. The bank account has been emptied, my apartment is warded. Just, stay away from me, please. All your belongings are at your place”

She walked out of the room and into the garden, going into Arthur’s tinkering shed. “Hey, Mr. Weasley.”

“Hey, Hermione. What’s the commotion going on in the house?”

“Ron and I broke up.” She sat heavily at his table. She picked up one of the broken coffee makers on the top of the work bench.

“Oh no, why?” He came over with the motorcycle alternator he had been working on before she had come in.

“He and Lavender Brown have been trying to have a baby.” Hermione sighed. “I’m trying to wrap my head around all of this. I feel like I’ve been wasting my time. Like he never cared about me. I never thought that this would happen to me.”

“We never do.” Arthur fiddled with the wrench, trying to loosen a bolt. “But we still love you and you are more than welcome to come here whenever you want. Family events are not off limits.”

Hermione smiled at him, with a little moisture in her eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Weasley.” She fiddled with his tools, trying not to seem too upset.

“How many times must I tell you? I insist you call me Arthur.” He patted her hand. “Everything will be okay. If anyone can survive this, it’s you. What is Molly doing to Ron now?”

“Beating him with a spoon when I left.” Hermione giggled a little.

“Why don’t we go inside and make sure she hasn’t killed him.” Arthur stood and pulled her off her stool, looping his arm with hers, leading her back across the backyard to the kitchen, where Molly was ranting at her son.

“Regardless, Ronald, Lavender Brown is a horrible girl! She willingly stepped into a role in your life that wasn’t available! And furthermore, you should have said no! Hermione has been working her backside off, trying to save for a house and a wedding for the two of you and she’s been working two full time jobs and putting up with you!”

“Mum, you don’t understand!” Ron shouted.

Mrs. Weasley’s eyes flashed. “Ronald Bilious Weasley! Don’t you dare raise your voice to me!” She swatted him once more with the spoon. “Now, do I not understand that you were not able to end a relationship before starting a new one? Do I not understand that you were willing to hurt not only a long time friend but your girlfriend as well?”

“No, Mum, Lavender and I agreed that Hermione would still be my girlfriend but Lavender would take care of the…. Well the physical parts…” His voice tapered off.

Hermione froze in the doorway. “You and Lavender agreed? But what about me, Ronald?”

“I didn’t think you would mind, honest! You were always working, and how was I supposed to feel? I rarely saw you!”

“I was working for us, Ronald! I was saving for our house, our wedding, our life together!” Hermione’s voice turned bitter. “I have been working for you and for me, and you repay me by… fucking Lavender Brown?” She turned away from him and wiped her eyes.

“He’s not worth my tears, not worth my tears…” She muttered, her breath shuddering.

“Hermione, are you okay?” Harry rested his hand on her shoulder, coming around to face her.

“I’m fine. I have to go to work, not that I have broken it off with Ron, and told all of you.” She twisted on her heel and tossed in the floo powder, speaking the address clearly.

Severus was seated in his armchair, savoring the quiet as his assistant was nowhere to be found. He was relaxed, his cat on his lap and a warm cup of tea in his hands. He was always drinking tea as of late, but he figured there was worse, like the firewhiskey that he used to allow to burn his throat.

As he finished his cup and contemplated a second, Hermione came bowling through the fireplace and flopping on the couch, her shoes clattering to the floor.

“At least you took your shoes off.” Severus stated dryly, shaking his head, his hand softly petting the cat on his lap.

“It’s done. Ron and I are over.” Her voice was muffled from the cushion her face was currently buried in.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Severus couldn’t help himself, as he summoned the kettle, pouring himself another cup of tea.

“No…. yes… I don’t know.” Hermione sighed, picked her head up and rolling it to the left to look at him. “I’m conflicted. I loved Ron more than I ever loved anyone before and to have this end the way it has, I’m just trying to work out all my feelings. I was ready to spend my life with him.”

“I understand.” He stirred his tea and held it up as a silent offer for her.

“No thank you,” she sniffled.

“Something stronger?” Severus waved his wand and a bottle of scotch flew over to the coffee table.

“No, I can’t start drinking. I’ll take some water though.” She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“As you wish.” He waved his wand and a glass with ice landed before her, water being poured by an invisible hand coming next.

“Molly walloped Ron really good.” She cradled the water in her hands, a small smile coming to her face. “I think she almost cracked her spoon.”

*S*S*

Two weeks later, Severus came down into the lab to see Hermione listlessly stirring the cauldron of pain potion for St. Mungo’s.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Severus plucked the spoon from her hand and placed a status charm on the cauldron.

“What?” Hermione lifted her head from her hand and blinked her brown eyes at him.

“You’ve been moping around for weeks, feeling sorry for yourself. I’m not having it anymore.” Severus laid the spoon down on a towel.

“I just got cheated on!”

“Three weeks ago!” Severus threw up his hands in frustration. “Believe me, I get it. I watched my mother die inside every time my father brought home another woman. Every time she heard the bed creak, every time he threw another woman’s clothes into the wash! You’re not alone, princess. Get over yourself!”

“You’re an asshole!” Hermione threw herself around the table, started her ascent up the basement stairs.

“No, you’re not leaving until we handle this.” He grabbed her arm gently and wheeled her around. “I’m sorry, but you’re letting him destroy you. I watched my mother go through this alone and I can’t sit back and watch someone else. Now, I do have just the thing to distract you.” He tossed a small packet onto the table next to her.

“A potions conference in the Netherlands?”

“It’s not just a potions conference. It’s the potions conference of the year!” he smacked his hand on the table in the biggest show of emotion Hermione had ever seen from him. “Masters from all over the world coming together to share their knowledge! I would like you to come, but only if you want to.” He looked down at the table, his hair covering his features.

Hermione looked down at the pamphlet and then at the man before her. She was touched that he wanted her to come with her, and according to the information, masters and assistants from all over the world would be there, ready to share their knowledge. She had always wanted to go to these conferences and here it was, her ticket to the one thing she always wanted in her adult career. And she would get to see it with the one person who had been with her from the beginning about Ron.

“Severus,” She touched her hand. “I would love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They’re officially done (Hermione and Ron) and no there will be no sharing a bed trope. I’m not that bad. I’ve been cranking out updates like crazy and I’m so glad that you all love the updates so much!
> 
> Lots of love,
> 
> Erectopatronum 

**Author's Note:**

> Please follow and review. It makes me so excited to see you all liking my stories and taking the time to tell me how much you like them. Please read my other stories as well! Let me know if you all like this story!


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